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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27007882">LandFall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/allofmystudensrunaway/pseuds/allofmystudensrunaway'>allofmystudensrunaway</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: The Next Generation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Blood and Injury, Canon Compliant, Crash Landing, Cunnilingus, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, Episode: s07e25-26 All Good Things..., Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Marooned, Mind Meld, Mutual Masturbation, Naked Cuddling, Pining, Pon Farr, Sassy, Self-Doubt, Shipwrecks, Swearing, Touch-Starved, Watching Someone Sleep</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 03:07:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27007882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/allofmystudensrunaway/pseuds/allofmystudensrunaway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>totally self indulgent shuttle crash fic, will update fairly regularly.<br/>it's simple. What happens when two sexy people, with lots of emotional baggage get marooned on a pretty, if dangerous planet?<br/>you know what happens...<br/>eventually.. *eye brow wiggle*<br/>*note set in  late, like all good things late, season seven of TNG*<br/></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deanna Troi/Worf, William Riker &amp; Original Female Character(s), William Riker/Deanna Troi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. On to the Rocks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Fuck” Will Riker swore under his breath, this was supposed to be a milk run. Just a quick side jaunt on his way back from Risa to pick up a runabout full of newly assigned crew and ferry them back to the Enterprise. Nothing to worry about, a transfer run, something he had done a couple of dozen times over the years. Now a massive ion storm had boiled up out of nowhere. Shaking the runabout like a toy. “To any federation ships. This is the runabout Miranda we are trapped in an ion storm and need immediate assistance” Will shut off the transmission with a frustrated jab. “Anything?” he demanded. His co-pilot, Lieutenant Tel glared at him. She had not spoken about anything beyond the necessities of piloting the ship since they had left star-base 12. Will found her intriguing. At first, with her delicately pointed ears and deep burnt umber complexion, he had mistaken her for a Vulcan. But dark trill-like spots defined her cheekbones and cascaded down her neck like an intricate tattoo. The fascination wasn’t mutual though and Will couldn’t work out if she was shy or just disliked him, he was starting to think it was the latter.<br/>
“No response, there is too much interference.” She informed him tersely, tucking an escaped dark brown braid behind an elegant ear. “Sir the shields are failing, impulse engine will not engage.”<br/>
“regretting transferring from the Pike, Lieutenant?”<br/>
“Maybe a little sir.” she muttered.<br/>
“Don’t worry, I’ve been in worse situations.” He tried a reassuring grin, Tel huffed. Briefly, her strange violet eyes raked over him and she turned back to her instruments, clearly unimpressed.<br/>
“Really? well things just got worse. The EPS grid is offline, warp core is destabilising.”<br/>
“reroute power.” Will snapped, ignoring the obvious insubordination, he could deal with that later; if they got out of this.<br/>
“I can’t, there’s too much damage.” There was an edge of fear in her voice now, not that Will could blame her.<br/>
“Can we eject the core?”<br/>
“We will need to divert all power to shields, maybe we can ride the shock-wave out of the storm.”<br/>
“That’s a big maybe Lieutenant.” Will tried to think of something else, but came up empty. “I don’t see we have a choice.” he jabbed at the ship-wide intercom, there were 10 or so newly assigned crew huddled in the runabouts lounge. “All hands brace for impact.”he took a deep breath and sitting back in his chair for a second rifled through their rapidly vanishing options. Trying to decide which would be less likely to kill them. “I need a local system to aim for, we will need to set down somewhere. We won’t last more than a couple of days on emergency power.”<br/>
“Lambda Goranis, it’s less than a light year from here. I might be able to squeeze half impulse out of the engines. Not sure how long it will last.”<br/>
“It will have to do, I’ll plot a course.” Will stared at the star map for a second, the lambda star had a host of planetary bodies and little information about any of them. He scanned the uninformative list and made what he hoped was an educated guess. “course plotted, eject the core on my mark.” Will caught Tel’s eye and saw the fear she was failing to hide. “It’s going to be alright lieutenant.”<br/>
“Just give the bloody order sir” she snapped at him. Will nodded to himself, ‘yeah definitely hates me’ he was a little sad he might never find out why.<br/>
“Mark.”<br/>
Later Will would describe piloting through the shock-wave like kayaking through a flash flood. Once when he was a teenager, a natural dam had broken upstream of him, turning a challenging set of rapids into a torrent of foaming white death.  Just like back then, all he could do was point the ship in the right direction and hope to miss the metaphorical rocks.<br/>
It spat them out suddenly, Will fired up the impulse engines as they careered through the sprawling mess of the Lamda Goranis system.“Lieutenant report.” Tel flinched and stared at him as if unsure who he was, Will wondered if she had passed out. Well he didn’t have time to be nice “Lieutenant, now.” Tel shook herself, fingers dancing across the controls. Her skin flushed and she looked up eyes wide.<br/>
“We are caught in the fifth planets gravity, we don’t have enough power to pull out.”<br/>
“Then we will have to land, tell me I have manoeuvring thrusters at least?”<br/>
“Partial and impulse for maybe two, three minutes.” She was staring at the viewscreen where a small smudge was rapidly growing into a planet. Will could see black clouds, it didn’t look particularly inviting.<br/>
“Are those electrical storms?”<br/>
“Yeah, looks like we arrived during hurricane season.”<br/>
“Shields?”<br/>
“Are you kidding?”she spat at him, “structural integrity is failing  and we have a hull breach.” The ship was falling like a stone, rushing headlong towards the surface.<br/>
“Looks like I choose the wrong planet!”<br/>
“you think!” Tel shouted at him over the screaming impulse engines. “The drive coils are overheating.” The runabout was fighting Will, he wrestled with the controls. Trying to keep the damn thing level as it bucked and skidded in the turbulence of the atmosphere. Main power shut off for a moment dropping them thousands of feet, before the engines stuttered back into life. Will stared at the read outs and then at viewscreen. Thick roiling clouds hid the planet’s surface, fierce lightening strobed scrambling the stricken ship’s sensors. Blind he was flying blind. He aimed the runabout at what he hoped was the horizon and risked a glimpse over at his co-pilot, her fingers flew over the controls desperately trying to wring every last drop of power from the engines.<br/>
“Inertial dampeners are failing”<br/>
“Compensate”<br/>
“I’m trying.” she shouted back, “Main computer is not responding” Tel’s voice was remarkably calm, he caught her eye, she gave him a fatalistic smile. “We are going down, nothing I can do.” Will eyed the altimeter, they were indeed losing height rapidly and going far too fast. A safe landing was out of the question, his heart rattled against his chest.<br/>
“Buckle up and brace for impact.” he ordered, moments later they hit the ground. Will had a moments confused impression, up was down and down was up punctuated with screams abruptly cut off, before something struck him on the forehead and he tasted blood, darkness followed.</p><p>“Commander?” an insistent voice, sounding both scared and angry. “Commander!” hands on his face, bringing pain. He could taste blood, he tried to bat the unwanted hurtful touch away.  “Don’t be dead, don’t you dare be dead.” Something, somebody shook him roughly, Will forced his eyes open. The light was blindingly bright, he was still strapped into his chair. Frantically, he pawed at the release button.<br/>
“Calm down, I’ll do it.” Will gasped as the pressure on his chest vanished, the face which he managed to focus on after a second was familiar, in a fuzzy muddled way.<br/>
“I’m fine” he muttered, going against all the evidence. Every muscle ached, it hurt to think. “Where is everybody else?” His thoughts avalanched. For a moment he remembered the screams, then the memory was gone again.<br/>
“It’s just you and me.”<br/>
“What?” he frowned trying to grasp the situation. Pain in his side, agony really. It had been there a while, but now it battered at his consciousness demanding to be recognised. He looked down, through the haze he saw the glint of metal. “That should not be there” he muttered, what should not be where? He lost his train of thought, “what happened?” he asked the woman with the violet eyes.<br/>
“We crashed, remember?”<br/>
“Right.” Will tried to stand up, but the lieutenant pushed him back down.<br/>
“Sit down, you are badly hurt-”<br/>
“”We need to get out of here”<br/>
“I know, I know. But you have several inches of Duranium sticking out of your side.”<br/>
“Yeah, I can see that.” he agreed muzzily, reaching for the jagged end, intending to pull it out. His hands were slapped away.<br/>
“Don’t touch it you’ll bleed out.”<br/>
“Okay, what do we do lieutenant-, lieutenant?” he stared at her, “I’m sorry I can’t remember your name.”<br/>
“I’m going to blame that on concussion and not get offended. It’s Eowyn Tel.” belatedly Will noticed the blood on her face and swelling around her right eye.<br/>
“You’re injured.”<br/>
“Pretty sure I’ve fractured my wrist and I feel a little dizzy. I’m going to touch you, it will hurt.” she knelt down.<br/>
“You need to work on your bedside manner” Will winced as her fingers probed at his injury, pulling the fabric away from his wound.<br/>
“I’m a pilot, not a doctor.” her hand slipped up his back, Will heard her breath a sigh of relief.<br/>
“this is bad, but it didn’t go all the way through, could have been worse.” she stood up and started to root around in an over head locker. “There should be a Med kit in here”<br/>
“You have some medical training right?”<br/>
“I did the field medic course at the academy.” she slammed the locker door shut. “I can’t find it.”<br/>
“That’s it?”<br/>
“Oh relax, I do the odd shift in sickbay.”<br/>
“Well that is comforting”<br/>
“I’m going to have to cauterise it,”<br/>
“What with?”<br/>
“Phaser, I can recalibrate the beams width.”<br/>
“Maybe you should leave it in there”<br/>
“Not an option, don’t be a baby.” Tel was searching under the consoles now, she reappeared with a phaser, the grin she gave Will was a little manic. “Give me a second to play with the settings.”<br/>
“You are not exactly filling me with confidence.” Will groaned, It was getting difficult to concentrate again, his thoughts kept trying to veer off.<br/>
“If it helps, I’ve always wanted to shoot a senior officer.”<br/>
“It doesn’t, you sure there is no other option?”<br/>
“Not if you want to keep living.”<br/>
“Right.”<br/>
“I’m going to need you to lie down.”<br/>
“Okay” Will shifted, sudden pain blossomed and he froze. “I don’t think, I can do that actually.”<br/>
“Sir it’s up to you. Either get on the deck, or bleed out where you sit. I can’t lift you.”<br/>
“alright” Will gritted his teeth against the pain and slid out of his chair, Tel caught his shoulders awkwardly stopping his head from bouncing off the deck.<br/>
“I’ve got you, just keep your eyes on me.” she eased him down onto the floor then stripped off her uniform jacket, bundling it under his head as a makeshift cushion.<br/>
“At least the views nice.” He let his eyes wander over her body, was gratified when her cheeks flushed red.<br/>
“That was inappropriate”<br/>
“Might be my last chance.”<br/>
“look at me that way again and I will kill you myself.” she grasped the waistband of his shirt and ripped it open.<br/>
“Well this just gets better, you next.” Will couldn’t help it, the words just fell out of mouth before his brain could intervene.<br/>
“What did I just tell you?”<br/>
“Sorry, I’ve been shot before I know how much this going to hurt.”<br/>
“So you are flirting, quite badly too.”<br/>
“You are hardly catching me at my best, I’m usually much more charming.” He gasped as Tel cleaned the muck and dried blood from around the metal spike.<br/>
“I bet you are” her tone had softened slightly. “Shut up now” she shoved a wad of fabric between his lips, silencing him. “You are going to want to bite down on that. Try not move.” Will realised he was shaking, his belly tensed in sick anticipation.“I’m going to have to enlarge the incision so I can get a grip as far down as possible. We don’t want it breaking in half.” she reached in to her boot and with a flick of her wrist pulled out a small Klingon style knife. Will spat out his gag.<br/>
“You keep a knife in your boot?”<br/>
“Where else would I keep it?”  Quickly, she sterilised the blade with a low blast from the phaser and then popped the folded fabric back in his mouth. Will tried not to scream as he felt his flesh part under the thin blade, he managed to keep it together until the thing lodged in his flesh was tugged free. He arched his back and screamed at the sky, tears started from his eyes as he fought to stay conscious, only winning by the narrowest of margins. “It’s alright, it’s over. Breath.”she rubbed his chest. Her other hand pushed a pad against his injury. “Breath” an order this time.“you are lucky, looks like it tore through mostly muscle.”<br/>
“Thanks, I try to keep myself in shape” Will muttered faintly, letting his head slump against the deck. Nausea was prickling the back of his throat, another scream was building in his belly.<br/>
“okay this next bit will really hurt.”<br/>
“you didn’t have to remind me”<br/>
“fed up with flirting?”<br/>
“suddenly I’m not in the mood” Will wished she would get on with it, his heart was already hitting warp 9. instead Tel appeared in his field of vision, fingertips stroked his jaw.<br/>
“Riker, Look at me” she gripped his chin. Despite the pain or maybe because of it, her eyes fascinated him. The irises of deepest purple ringed and flecked with gold. He had never seen eyes like that before.“You are going to be fine.” he heard the quickly covered tremble that threatened to break her words, realised the hand that cupped his chin was shaking. So the fear was mutual, it helped Will to calm his breathing a little. He took her hand and squeezed it, trying to project reassurance.<br/>
“Okay, just do it.” he let go of her hand and tried to relax his battered body.<br/>
“Brace yourself.”</p><p>Rain drumming against metal dragged Will back to consciousness, his side still throbbed, but less intensely now. Slowly he sat up, Tel leaned on a console watching him intently, Will got the impression she had been there for some time. “While you were sleeping,” she made it sound as if Will had been napping rather than unconscious, “I grabbed all the supplies I could find back there.” looking a little sick she gestured vaguely to aft end of the ship. “Some medical stuff too, we now have a limited supply of pain killers and a few other bits.” she pressed a hypo-spray to his neck, almost instantly Will’s headache receded.<br/>
“Damage report?” he asked, As she got down on her knees to apply a large dermoplast dressing over the burned mess of his side.<br/>
“We lost both nacelles, all of the ships systems are fried and the aft section has a massive hole in it. we’re not going anywhere.”<br/>
“What about the planet?”<br/>
“Class M, I’m reading lots of life signs. Some quite large.”<br/>
“Survivors?”<br/>
“You already asked me that, just you and me.” she snapped her tricorder shut angrily.<br/>
“All of them?” it was disbelief.<br/>
“Looks like they died when the hull breached.” her gaze strayed to the aft doors, Will saw her shiver. “It’s a mess back there.”<br/>
“We need to find alternative shelter, the bodies-” his tongue stumbled over the word, “may attract scavengers.”<br/>
“Figured you’d say that. Tricorder says there are cave systems near by, probably our best bet.” she held out a crumpled shirt. “you had better put this on, that one is ruined.”<br/>
“Thank you?”<br/>
“Found it in your luggage, do you really wear those shorts in public?” Will couldn’t think what she meant then he felt his cheeks flush as he remembered.<br/>
“Which ones?” he asked carefully.<br/>
“The tight black shiny ones”<br/>
“No.” he said more loudly than really needed, he held out a hand. “Could you help me up? We can discuss my wardrobe choices another time.” She grasped his hand and helped him stagger to his feet. It hurt to move. He took a step, nearly fell.<br/>
“I’ve got you.” Tel grabbed his waist, she held him still while he mastered his breathing. “it’s alright.” As the pain faded to a more manageable level Will lifted his head from her shoulder and let his gaze dwell on the suave planes of her face. Christ, she was lovely.<br/>
“Thanks” He felt awkward.<br/>
“Don’t mention it” Tel muttered in a warning tone and loosed him, stepping away abruptly.<br/>
“The storm is easing off, it’s just rain now, weather here seems pretty volatile.”<br/>
“Clearly I picked the wrong time of day to crash.”<br/>
“We should get going, before the weather changes again.”<br/>
“Agreed, up for a walk in the rain Lieutenant?”</p><p>“Gravity feels a little light” Will observed, just as well there was no way he would have been able to drag himself up the steep hill otherwise. The Lieutenant didn’t answer him, except with a grunt. “How much further?”<br/>
“About 500 meters.”<br/>
“we should stop,” he paused to take a deeper breath a suspicion growing “rest for a few minutes.” he didn’t wait for a response and subsided onto a fallen trunk gratefully, the rain was starting to ease into a light drizzle. He pushed his wet fringe out of his eyes to peer up Tel. “You should sit down.”<br/>
“I’m fine” she folded her arms and turned away.<br/>
“Lieutenant? If the gravity is a little light the air maybe thinner.”<br/>
“So? What is your point?”<br/>
“if we push ourselves too hard, we could end up with altitude sickness.”<br/>
“hypoxia?” she shook her head dismissively.<br/>
“yeah, now since we are not dead yet the air isn’t that thin. But we need to take it easy, give our bodies time to acclimate.”<br/>
“Thank you for your concern, I’m fine.” practically a snarl that dissolved into a cough, Will raised an eyebrow.<br/>
“Sure you are, sit the fuck down lieutenant. That's an order.”<br/>
“Aye sir” she approached without looking at him, dropping her pack on the ground with ill-disguised relief and perched on the opposite end of the log.  Will studied her hunched over form, she was cradling her left wrist against her chest, staring off into the misty undergrowth her face pinched and pale.<br/>
“Lieutenant are you okay?” Will kept his voice neutral. Slowly she turned to look at him, incredulous anger sparked in her eyes.<br/>
“With all due respect sir.” she said softly, without a trace of any respect. “We crashed, people have died and I had to pull six inches of metal out of your body. I am not okay.”<br/>
“I suppose that was a stupid question.” Will muttered falling silent. He felt sudden warmth on his face and looked up. The sky above was starting to clear, the forest mists turning from grey to gold, gilding the smooth elegant trunks of this worlds mega-flora, somewhere unseen, but nearby a river rushed.<br/>
“How did you know about the altitude sickness?”<br/>
“I’ve climbed a few mountains.” Will eyed the trees nervously as caressed by it’s sun, the world was waking up. Invisible things called out in the canopy above.<br/>
“Of course you have.” she snorted. Will let it slide, his side was starting to throb again.“Does it hurt?”Tel must have seen him wince. He felt her sharp gaze on him and refused to meet it. He heard her huff with annoyance and suddenly her hands were pulling his shirt up.<br/>
“We shouldn’t stay here to long” he pointed up to the canopy. Eowyn nodded.<br/>
“okay” she agreed, then turned and fired the phaser into the quivering leaves, things screamed and gibbered loudly, the sounds rapidly receded into the distance.  She half shrugged at him and holstered her phaser, “think we will be alright for a while. Let me see.”<br/>
“Fine” reluctantly he eased his shirt over the injury, his muscles pulled at it oddly making him gasp against the sudden pain. Tel inspected his dressings quickly, and looked up at him. Will tried not to notice the way her fingers lingered against the skin of his belly.<br/>
“it’s not bleeding again, I think you are okay.” she pulled his shirt back down gently, then straightened his collar. They both froze, faces flushing crimson.<br/>
“thank you” Will stuttered, aware his voice had dropped two octaves with embarrassment. For a second he thought he saw something in her eyes, but she bit her lip and it vanished.<br/>
“don’t mention it” Tel stepped back staring at her feet and sat back down on her end of the log. Will cast about for another subject anything to dispel the uncomfortable silence.“I read your service record.”<br/>
“Why”<br/>
“I read every-ones, I’m the first officer it’s my job.” he smiled and shrugged. “Commander Gossard gave you a glowing reference.” Tel visibly flinched at the mention of her former C/O.<br/>
“I’ve never really cared for his opinion”<br/>
“I’m starting to think it was a little too good.”<br/>
“We better get moving.”Abruptly she stood up and swung her pack onto he shoulder, Will forced himself to his feet and shouldered his own bag.<br/>
“So was Gossard gilding the lily?” Will couldn’t resist needling her, her response was a flat, ugly glare.<br/>
“Mind your own business.”<br/>
“Your insubordinate tone is starting to grate”<br/>
“That is a shame, if we get back you can court martial me.”<br/>
“I won’t court martial you, I’ll transfer you to star-base 80.” Will let a savage smirk curl his lip.<br/>
“Fuck you Commander. I should have let you bleed out.” Tel marched off, disappearing over a ridge. When Will caught up with her a couple of minutes later she was standing at the entrance to a small cave.<br/>
“I told you to take it slow, do you have a death wish?”<br/>
“No, but if I have to spend much longer listening to you I might develop one.” Eowyn held up her tricorder. “looks clear of local wildlife.” She took a step forward, Will grabbed her wrist.<br/>
“wait there could be anything in there.”<br/>
“The tricorder says it’s empty” glaring, she enunciated each word clearly as if he were slightly slow.<br/>
“Tricorders don’t pick everything up, I’ll go first.” He set his pack down and extracted the lantern he had noticed in there earlier.<br/>
“You are injured, what am I supposed to do? Run away down the hill, while you get eaten by some monster?”<br/>
“Yes! Can I have the phaser please?” she handed it to him with bad grace. “Stay here”<br/>
“Are you trying to impress me?” Laughing at him, trying to bait him into an argument again. Will decided not to give her the satisfaction.<br/>
“Just stay put.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Drowning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hurt and comfort sorta if you squint..</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cave was, as Eowyn expected, devoid of sharp toothed predators. It was as caves go, not too uncomfortable. It was dry and while the floor boasted the odd large rock, it was at least mostly flat. She dragged some of the bigger stones into a rough hearth and stood up, “We need a fire.”<br/>“Can you take care of it?” Riker was leaning against the rock wall, clutching his side. “I think I over did it.” His voice sounded distant, ill.  Eowyn took a step towards him, thinking perhaps she should check his injury again, he held up a hand warding her off, “I’m fine.” <br/>“Casual lies now Riker?” She ducked under his outstretched arm and forced him to look at her, there was a lot of pain hiding in those proud blue eyes. “I should really take a look-”  his hands closed over hers and there it was again. The warmth of his skin sent raw frisson straight to her belly. Heat crept up her cheeks, she snatched her hands away. Riker let out a little huff of strangled breath Adams apple frantically bobbing up and down.   <br/>“I’ll be okay” The smile he gave her was tight, small and totally unconvincing. Feeling off balance, Eowyn stepped away.<br/>“I’m not sure I’m comfortable leaving you alone.”<br/>“I said I’ll be fine lieutenant.” Emphasising her rank again, it didn’t work this time either.  <br/>“Riker-”<br/>“Commander” he reminded her sternly. <br/>“okay fine, I’ll fetch firewood.”she gritted her teeth casting a look outside, the rain had returned. A light drizzle turning the woods an unattractive grey. “Try not to pass out while I’m gone, Sir” she muttered sourly. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, detaining her. <br/>“Be careful, take a phaser” his voice softened. “Remember to-” <br/>“I know! scan for toxins before we burn it. Thank you for your concern. I’m not a first year cadet.”   she snapped, shrugging his hand away. Riker’s expression hardened and he turned back to the wall. Eowyn ignored the little gasp of pain that escaped his lips, after all it wasn’t him that was headed into the grey foggy forest. In the face of Riker’s bull-headed obsession with being in command she was starting to run low on sympathy. Even so she still felt a sliver of guilt leaving him alone in this state.“I’ll try not to be too long.” she added forcing herself to try and at least sound conciliatory.<br/>“I think I can cope, don’t get lost.” he glanced over his shoulder. Eowyn caught just a flash of a sarcastic grin, heard him snort a little. she eyed his quivering back for a moment; Wondering if it was pure pride or spite that was keeping him upright.<br/>“Maybe you should sit down,” she suggested. <br/>“Lieutenant just go, that’s an order,” he always had to have the last word; it was infuriating.<br/>“Fuck you, sir” she muttered, and shouldered a canteen that she had stashed in her pack. </p>
<p>It was cold and damp under the trees, Eowyn kicked a stone viciously at one of the massive trunks. Her wrist was throbbing again and her right eye was busy trying to become one massive bruise. The pain set her teeth on edge. Even rationed their scarce medical supplies did not contain enough pain killers for both of them, Riker needed them more or so she told herself. She stopped dead in the gloom, breathing hard sheltering under one of trees watching the rain drip through the branches, silver droplets veining the frond-like leaves. It was tempting to lie down in the deep leaf litter piled around the smooth grey trunk. Her body wanted to sleep or maybe, scream.  Away from Riker, away from another living being to worry over and fight with it was harder to drive away the fears tugging at her focus. “I’m scared” she told the surrounding forest, best to acknowledge it. Better than screaming, her vision blurred, tears; she swallowed a sob and scrubbed them away.<br/>“Riker” Eowyn reminded herself out-loud, Riker was waiting for her, Riker out of whose quivering skin she had cut a jagged spike of twisted metal with a not very clean knife. Thinking about it made bile burn in the back of her throat. She took a breath and pushed the memory away. It was difficult to rid herself of it. The scream he had made when the phaser sealed the gaping hole still echoed round her skull. Yes it had been necessary, to save his life but still she felt guilty. It felt even worse when she caught his gaze and her skin shivered.<br/>Annoyed with her self, she snatched a dry branch from the ground, and then another tucking them under her arm. Not really paying attention to her surroundings , she emerged onto the bank of the river that had been murmuring in her ear since she had reached the valley bottom. It was wide and slow, reflecting the grey sky and golden brown of the trees, here and there low banks of gravel broke the waters surface. Eowyn dropped her bundle of wood and scanned the river with the tricorder. Breathing a sigh of relief she knelt filled her canteen. That was one problem solved at least the filter in the bottle would clean any biohazards. She sat back on her haunches and attempted to centre herself the way her Vulcan grandmother had tried to teach her. Closing her eyes, letting her mind go quiet. Balance, it had never been easy to find, it eluded her again now. <br/>Between bouts of pure existential dread, it was Riker who dominated her thoughts. She had known he was trouble from the moment she had set eyes on him. His bombastic bravado, his insistence on being the one in command irritated her deeply. But she remembered the smile he had gifted her with when she had sat down in the Miranda’s co-pilot seat. As bright as a supernova, part of her longed to see that smile again. Bad idea, Eowyn reminded herself with a shake of her head. <br/>Something was watching her, goosebumps prickled the back of her neck. Her breath stilled in her chest slowly she opened her eyes. Frantically she scanned the surrounding vegetation, on the opposite bank a shadow caught her eye, a patch of darkness that moved.<br/>Eowyn reached for her phaser just as the thing charged across the river, water cascaded in all directions. Stumbling backwards she fired towards the slavering jaws that were the only thing her shocked brain could focus on. The shot went wide, the thing baulked at the streaking orange fire howled in protest and leapt skyward in a flurry of feathers.   Heart hammering, she lay in the mud and watched the creature disappear into the clouds. “Fuck”</p>
<p>Riker was sat on the floor when she returned, his eyes flicked over her mud splattered uniform, “How did it go?”<br/>“Well, I’m glad I took the phaser”. She threw the bundled fire wood in the makeshift fireplace and set it ablaze with an angry blast from the weapon. “This planet has some large predators,” <br/>“you want to elaborate on that Lieutenant” back in command mode again, Eowyn tried not to roll her eyes.<br/>“Not really” she shuddered, trying not to remember the very large teeth of the thing in the woods. “I didn’t even see it clearly.”<br/>“Alright so we don’t go anywhere alone. Won’t that be fun” he cocked a sarcastic eyebrow at her. Eowyn ignored the obvious bait, instead she studied him for a moment. His shoulders were tense, brow furrowed, hiding his pain behind sarcasm.<br/>“How are you feeling?” keeping her voice neutral. <br/>“I’m fine.” Riker said the words slowly looked her right in the eyes. Openly lying to her face, Eowyn gave up.<br/>“There is a river at the bottom of the valley, the waters potable, the canteens should be able to filter it.” Riker didn’t respond immediately, He winced as he dragged himself upright.  Realising he wasn’t going to be of much help, she busied her self setting up camp. <br/>“Where did you get those” Will asked pointing to the two sleeping bags she pulled from her pack.<br/>“Ensign Erica Hancock, she went camping on Risa for her shore leave, I went through her luggage.”<br/>“Did you know her well?” Will asked softly.<br/>“Not really, our paths never crossed much on the Pike. She was a good kid, she was excited to be assigned to the Enterprise.” Eowyn shook out the bedding with an angry snap. “She told me that when we were waiting at starbase 12.”<br/>“Earlier, I wasn’t trying to impress you. I was just doing my job.”<br/>“And what exactly do you think your job is right now?”<br/>“Same as ever, protect my crew” he pinched the bridge of his nose “What’s left of it anyway. I hate losing people.” the uncharacteristic lack of bombast snagged Eowyn’s attention. <br/>“Riker, are you feeling alright?”<br/>“yeah” <br/>“You don’t look too good.”<br/>“Well I have a hole in my side, so what do you expect me to look like.” he moved closer to the fire, hugging himself. Eowyn watched him carefully. “I’m just feeling a little cold.”<br/>“Uh huh.”<br/>“We need a plan. We should go back to the ship, see if we can salvage anything.”<br/>“Yeah, but I think maybe you need to sit down.” There was sweat dripping from his forehead, the gaze he turned on her was unnervingly bright. Concern blossoming, Eowyn reached out to steady him, he brushed her off.<br/>“I’m fine” he shifted from one foot to the other and then staggered sideways. Eowyn managed to drag him away from the fire, he half collapsed against her. “Okay maybe I’ll sit down for a minute.” <br/>“I’m getting a little sick of this Starfleet poster boy bullshit act of yours.”<br/>“Have to be an example.” he slurred the words drunkenly. <br/>“Well right now, you are a pretty piss poor one, come on sit down.”<br/>“Yes Ma’am” he threw her a facetious salute, but did as he was told, hunkering down in front of the fire. Eowyn laid a hand on his forehead.<br/>“You are burning up.”<br/>“I’m freezing” was the confused reply.<br/>“Commander, I need you to concentrate on what I am telling you.”<br/>“Okay” he swayed a little as he gazed up at her.<br/>“I think you have picked up an infection, I have no way to treat it.”<br/>“What do we do” Riker frowned at her, she wandered if he grasped the situation. <br/>“I’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.” <br/>“How old fashioned”<br/>“Prehistoric, probably. Keep you warm, keep you hydrated” she spoke out loud, to comfort herself more than him. “Hope you don’t die”<br/>“I’ve had worse” Will muttered waving a dismissive finger at her.<br/>“Sure you have.”<br/>“Hey! Once, I got attacked by a carnivorous plant and I was in a coma for days.” his eyes dipped closed, he shook himself awake. <br/>“I think it’s time to lie down.” she patted the sleeping bag and smiled encouragingly. “Come on” <br/>“I’m so cold” he complained petulantly.<br/>“Soon be warm again, in you get” Begrudgingly he lay down, Eowyn tugged off his boots and set them to one side. “You should try and eat something.” Will shook his head violently at the suggestion.<br/>“No, feel sick enough already.”<br/>“Just try and sleep.” she placed a canteen of water on the floor next to him and retired to her own bedding, to fiddle with the tricorder.<br/> After a while she realised Will had passed out, his breathing had become faster, shallower rasping in his throat. She stood up and swung the tricorder over him in a slow arc. His body temperature was climbing, but his teeth were chattering. Pushing away a worm of dread, she fetched the few medical supplies they had. It wasn’t much scavenging through the ruined aft section had not been an experience for the faint hearted. All she could do was keep him dosed with a broad spectrum antibiotic and hope his immune system could cope.<br/>“Deanna” Will murmured as the hypo-spray hissed against his skin, “Imzadi, help me”. Eowyn knew that word, it sent a visceral shiver down her spine. Kneeling on the cold earth floor, she stroked his sweat soaked hair.“I’m sorry she’s not here.”</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Siren Songs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>basically pining. With some dirty thoughts. Will Riker needs his brain scrubbed with bleach.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thirst drove Will awake in the pearl grey of a false dawn. He lay still for a minute gathering himself back together, his throat hurt and his skin itched with dried sweat. Soft breath tickled his neck and a solid warmth at his back confused him. He sat up carefully so as not to disturb the sleeper, every muscle protesting. The sharp pain in his side returned for a short eternity, before fading to a dull deep ache that throbbed as he moved.  Tel was curled up fast asleep beside him, he dwelled on the shadowy planes of her face, wondering why she was there next to him. The swelling around her eye had subsided leaving an angry black and purple bruise. It wasn’t the only one, the grey vest she was wearing had ridden up during the night, revealing more bruises and half healed cuts. Will felt a little nauseous, he had been preoccupied with his own injury, he hadn’t even considered hers. He tucked the sleeping bag back around her “I should have noticed” he berated himself, under his breath. Speaking brought the thirst back. He found a canteen on the ground beside him and took a tentative sip, then another longer gulp to wash the gross taste from his mouth. The water was tepid, but right then it was the best thing he had ever drunk.<br/>“Not dead then?” Tel said sleepily, she blinked up at him. Once again, Will found him self caught in those odd deep purple eyes. <br/>“did you think I might be?”<br/>“Frankly yes.” She raised an eyebrow at him. Will took another gulp of water, trying to figure out how to ask his next question.<br/>“Why did you decide to sleep with me” he asked uncomfortable, even saying the words.  “Sorry that came out wrong” he added hastily as her expression darkened.  <br/>“You kept complaining you were cold, what else was I supposed to do?” she swept back her sleeping bag and stood up. Will remembered then; waking in the night, whimpering, terrified of something he couldn’t see only to be soothed by soft words and hugged tight.<br/>“Thank you.”<br/>“Don’t thank me.” she leaned down and felt his forehead then passed the tricorder over him. “I think the fever is gone, I should change that dressing.”</p>
<p>“Hold still.”<br/>“I’m holding still.” Will complained trying not to wince as Eowyn sluiced the ugly burn with clean water.<br/>“I said hold still.” Angry eyes glared up at him. Will shifted trying to maintain his balance. He was leaning back braced against the cave wall, while on her knees Eowyn poked and prodded at his belly. “looks like it’s closed, how does it feel?” she reached for a fresh dermoplast from their dwindling supply and carefully smoothed it over the angry scar. <br/>“Sore, itchy.” Will said through gritted teeth fixing his eyes on a nondescript section of rock, trying to ignore the way her fingertips grazed his skin. She looked good on her knees his traitorous brain whispered. Those lips it was hard not to imagine them wrapped around- face hot, he tore his thoughts away from that particular tangent. ‘Regulation 256.15: Starfleet officers shall show professional behaviour at all times,’ he reminded him self savagely, and wondered what dusty old admiral had come up with that one. <br/>“Well don’t scratch.” Eowyn inspected her handiwork critically then stood up, frowning as she noticed his flushed cheeks.  “Looks like it’s healing, just try and take it easy for a few days. You don’t want it splitting.” almost absent-mindedly her fingers rested against his chest for a nanosecond. Throat dry, composure shattered, fighting against the sudden tightness in his chest, hands clenched so he didn’t touch her uninvited; Will scrabbled around for something, anything to say.<br/>“Can’t do that, we need to get back to the runabout, see if we can salvage something to make a beacon” he told her stiffly. She took a step away and eyes narrowed stared at him.<br/>“Really?”  she gave him a quizzical smile and jabbed the bandage hard.<br/> “Ouch!” Will lurched backwards hands clasped to his belly. “Why the hell did you do that!”<br/>“You can’t go anywhere, not for a couple of days at least.”<br/>“I will not sit around and do nothing.” he snagged his shirt from the floor, pretending not to wince as he tried unsuccessfully to pull it over his head.  <br/>“you have a hole in your side.” Eowyn pointed out, there was a dismissive undertone to her voice that raised Will’s hackles. He glowered at her and tried again to dress himself. “You can’t even put on your shirt.”  <br/>“I am aware!” He threw the wretched thing at her. Eowyn stood her ground, she didn’t even flinch just folded her arms and took a step towards him. He felt immediately ashamed, stumbled back a step. Christ, his anger had flamed into life before he could stop it. What kind of self control was that?<br/>“And who will have to stitch you back up?”  she snapped finger stabbing the air. Cheeks hot, he avoided her eyes. Some how the embarrassment just sharpened his anger, he felt out of control. It wasn’t a sensation he enjoyed. She was right, but the prospect of sitting still made him feel sick. He took a deep breath to calm his voice. <br/>“I'm going back to the ship, you can either come with me or stay here your choice.” <br/>“you are an idiot.” Eowyn shook her head “For a second I thought I was getting through to you”<br/>“I am your commanding officer, Lieutenant”  he spat her rank at her, a not so subtle reminder. It didn’t work this time either.<br/>“Still an idiot, spare me the lecture Commander.” Snarling his rank right back at him. “This is stupid” Eowyn let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling, “You are injured, I get that makes you angry”<br/>“I’m not angry” he muttered, folding his arms tightly trying to hide his labouring chest.<br/>“Sure, you are a picture of calm right now,” she shrugged raising an eyebrow “never seen a calmer officer”.<br/>“Do you ever stop with the sarcasm?”<br/>“Not when my senior officer is being a moron.” <br/> “we have to find a way off this rock.” The anger was cooling into a cold hard lump of guilt, he scrubbed at his face. His beard was growing, it felt oddly long against his fingers. Distantly he wondered what he must look like, a mess certainly.<br/>“Yes I know, but not yet” she scooped up his shirt. “Riker, you have to let me help you” she held it out with a shake. Will heard her take a deep breath and let himself meet that Amethyst gaze. “you are my senior officer,” she took a step forward and dragged the shirt over his head, “I’m not allowed to let you die” the smile that she gave him was crooked.”Even if I want too.” she guided his arms into the sleeves and pulled the fabric over his injury a good deal more gently than he deserved. <br/>“You’re right” he breathed out shoulders sagging, even chuckled darkly. “I’m sorry, I should not have shouted at you” the apology sounded weak to his own ears. Tel tilted her head in the barest acknowledgement, Will was not sure if she accepted his mea culpa or not. <br/>“We should eat” she rummaged through her bag and tossed him a ration pack. Will caught it awkwardly. He read the label with some trepidation, ration recipes could be something of a lottery. “Oatmeal with raisins, suppose it could be worse.” he glanced over at Eowyn, who was stoically chewing her own meal. “What did you get?” he sauntered over and joined her beside the fire.<br/>“Peach cobbler allegedly.” she took another reluctant bite and set it aside with a disgusted look.<br/>“You want to swap?” Will held out his pack, hoping she would recognise the peace offering for what it was. “this isn’t too bad.”<br/>“Are you sure, because what ever this is it is not peach cobbler.” <br/>“how bad can it be? I’ve eaten Gagh.”grinning he took her hand and folded her fingers round the pack.<br/>“For a dare?”<br/>“No on purpose. I served on a Klingon ship and lets just say, the menu was not varied.” he laughed at the memory and was rewarded the briefest smile, curving her lips lightening quick. Gone in a second, but it knocked his train of thought sideways, he coughed to cover up his tight again chest. “So how much food do we have?” he asked abruptly. What was wrong with him? he felt like a teenager with a forbidden crush. Eowyn frowned at his sudden change in tone, she drew back a little  the last trace of that smile vanishing.<br/>“Maybe enough for a week, there may be more on the runabout.” A shadow flickered across her face, “I grabbed what I could, but it was a real mess” she rubbed her eyes, “The bodies-” she let out a little gasp “i’m sorry I couldn’t get more.” she covered her eyes. Will felt like an idiot, a stupid callous idiot, she had seen those bodies and he hadn’t even thought about that fact once. What kind of commanding officer missed something like that.<br/>“You did fine” he told her softly, “I’m so sorry, you had to deal with that alone. If you want to talk about it-”<br/>“I would rather talk about anything else, please Riker.” Will fell silent and cast about for another topic, anything to distract her from the horrible thing she had seen.  <br/>“Eowyn that’s an unusual name,” it was lame but he couldn’t think of anything else. <br/>“It’s from my Dad’s favourite book, I doubt you have read it.”<br/>“I read” Will snorted, “So what is she like, your literary namesake?”  Eowyn seemed wary, Will felt bad about his teasing tone. “I really do want to know.”<br/>“Why?”<br/>“Well we could sit in silence if you prefer.” he heard her huff and snapped his mouth shut.<br/>“Who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in?” Her voice was soft, the words had the cadence of something learned long ago, her lips carried the ghost of a distant smile. <br/>“That is a quote?” Eowyn nodded, she crossed her legs and cupped her chin staring into the fire. “I take it since you can recite it by heart, it’s also your favourite book?” another nod, Will wondered if he had crossed some unknown line. She seemed suddenly sadder, hunched in on herself. “Sounds like the girl in the story was lonely, trapped even.” <br/>“She was, by other peoples expectations, by what they wanted her to be.”<br/>“What happened to her in the book”<br/>“She escaped, learned to live how she wanted.” There was something wistful in her tone.<br/>“You sound almost jealous.” Will couldn’t help observing.  <br/>“Maybe I am.” she muttered picking a stick up from the floor, snapping it and throwing it into the fire. Afterwards she rubbed the purple bruise on her wrist fitfully. Will reached out and touched her shoulder, she leaned into his hand then jerked away.<br/>“Don’t”<br/>“Sorry” another apology, Will shifted over, putting some space between them.<br/>“How long do you think it will take the Enterprise to find us?”<br/>“that depends on what that ion storm did to our warp trail, might take them some time to work out where we headed.” he tried not to sound to relieved at the change of subject.<br/>“Plus this a pretty big system” Eowyn added quietly.<br/>“Yeah, so it could be a while.” They shared a look mutually deciding not to mention the alternative. “They will find us.” Will insisted, as much to reassure himself as her “you don’t know my crew-”. Thunder boomed suddenly over head interrupting him and the daylight streaming in the entrance faded into gloom. As they were plunged into darkness Eowyn instinctively recoiled against Wills side, he felt her shivering.<br/>“lieutenant? it’s just a storm”  lightening illuminated her face, she looked more scared now than when they had crashed into the planet. “Hey it’s okay, everything is fine.” A crack loud enough to break the sky and she threw her arms round his neck. Will yelped in surprise and no small amount of pain as she burrowed against his chest.<br/>“I hate thunder” angry words muttered into his neck.<br/>“it’s alright” utterly confused he patted her back, another clap shook the heavens and Eowyn’s grip around his neck tightened.<br/>“It’s not, I hate thunder, I hate this planet and I fucking hate you for getting us stuck here.”<br/>“I fucking hate you, Sir” Will corrected her, smiling into her disordered braids. Outside the storm got even louder, Eowyn pressed against his chest, her fists clenched handfuls of his shirt.<br/>“just shut up” Angry at herself. Will relaxed his grip, “I didn’t say you could let go.”</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Rip Tide</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>pining, blood, dealing with death, bedsharing.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A couple of days had passed since the storm, slow hours spent in a brittle embarrassed silence. Eowyn could barely speak to Riker without her throat closing with remembered shame. As soon as the thunder had ceased splitting the sky she had violently pushed him away and then buried herself under her bedding for the rest of the night. As for Riker, he had tried to needle her into talking to him. But as his attempts to initiate conversation were rebuffed he had settled for throwing her the odd amused look instead. He had been staring at her again for the last five minutes, her skin was hot from the force of his gaze.“So are we ever going to talk about the other night?” he asked casually, again.<br/>“No.”Eowyn gritted her teeth, why wouldn’t he stop asking? <br/>“There is no shame in admitting you were scared.”<br/>“you said you wouldn’t mention it again.”<br/>“Maybe I lied.” Will shrugged at her. The nonchalance was deliberate, calculated to bait her. Eowyn turned away hoping he would shut up.<br/>“I mean a starfleet officer who is scared of thunder, how did that happen?”<br/>“Do you actually want to know? Or are you just looking for a fight?” She stuffed her tricorder into her pack and picked up the phaser.<br/>“I’m looking for some conversation, you’ve barely said a word for two days.” There was bitterness in his voice. “Did I do something wrong? because if I remember you were the one who clung to me like a scared toddler for two hours.”<br/>“Shut up. Are you coming back to the ship? You made enough fuss about it”<br/>“Yes I’m coming” he swung an empty pack over his shoulder, Eowyn watched his expression spasm as he pushed away the pain.<br/>“Are you sure you are up for this?”<br/>“Yes!” he walked away, Eowyn trailed after him biting back a rude word. Outside Riker picked up a stout branch, he banged it against a tree, smiling when it didn’t break.<br/>“What’s that for?” he just rolled his eyes in response and started down the hill.“Now who is being a child?” she growled at his retreating back. Eowyn watched him walk down hill, hand pressed against his injury. For a moment she considered just leaving him to cope, but the guilt got her. “Fine” she muttered to an uncaring universe. <br/>“Are you coming?”  Riker called over his shoulder, she could hear the amusement in his voice. Her chest hurt as she dragged in a deep cleansing breath. <br/>“Yeah, wait” they walked in silence, Riker using the stick to beat back the undergrowth, displaying an almost childlike glee as he cleared a path. <br/>“Can I ask you something?” <br/>“It’s a free galaxy.”<br/>“Who is Deanna?” she asked quietly.<br/>“How do you know that name”<br/>“You talk in your sleep.”<br/>“I don’t want to talk about that.” <br/>“and yet you just said you wanted conversation.” Choking silence filled the space between them. Riker picked up the pace, slashing at the undergrowth back with the stick. Eowyn had to jog to keep up.“So I take it you don’t want to tell me.”<br/>“She’s a friend.” He smacked a particularly resistant vine with jarring force, the stick broke. Disgust creasing his features, he threw it away.<br/>“Do you call all your friends names out in your sleep then?”<br/>“Deanna is special.” <br/>“Imzadi, you said that a few times too”  she said the word softly, that term demanded reverence, or at least so her Betazoid grandmother had told her. “I know what that word means.”<br/>“I doubt that” Will breathed,  dismissively. “We are just friends. Not that it is any of your business.”<br/>“My father is half Betazoid, so yes I do know what it means.” The quiet admission shut Will up, he stared at his hands. “Exactly what it means.” Eowyn added, she felt oddly sorry for him. “you must miss her.”<br/>“We haven’t been together in a long time, she’s my best friend.” Will said shortly, Clearly he didn’t want to talk about Deanna.<br/>“you didn’t answer my question.”<br/>“Yes I miss her, why do you care?” Bitterness contaminated his words.<br/>“I don’t, I was just curious.”<br/>“Can I ask you something? To even the score?” he stopped abruptly, Eowyn nearly ran into his back.<br/>“It’s not like I can stop you”<br/>“Why are you scared of thunder?”<br/>“It’s not that complex, I got stuck outside in a thunderstorm when I was eight.” Eowyn started walking again, hoping he wouldn’t ask her anything else.<br/>“How?” Riker called after her, sounding almost gleeful. Eowyn wondered whether he enjoyed teasing her.<br/>“I ran away from a family party on Vulcan.” The runabout was just ahead, she stopped abruptly and dropped her pack on the ground. Riker caught up with her he was still grinning.<br/>“Why did you run away?”<br/>“Because my great grandmother referred to me as ‘poor Eowyn’”she couldn’t help sounding angry, suddenly the prospect of going back into the mess of the Miranda had lost what little appeal it held. <br/>“There is a story there”<br/>“Not one I’m going to tell you.”<br/>“Come on, you said we could even the score, you know something deeply personal to me.” He folded his arms and tilted his head at her meaningfully. “So, tell me”<br/>“Fine you want to know?” Eowyn gave in, anything to put off going near the charnel house the crash had made of their ship. “I was ‘poor Eowyn’ to my Vulcan grandmother, because I have no predilection or desire to regulate myself like a good Vulcan. I am ‘poor Eowyn’ to my Betazoid grandmother because I have the telepathic ability of a rock.”<br/>“Betazoid parents can be brutal” Riker said with a smile. It was not the reaction Ewoyn expected.<br/>“Sounds like the voice of experience.”<br/>“It is, trust me.” Now the smile reached his eyes and just for a moment Eowyn let herself imagine what it would be like to kiss those lips; to touch that skin, have those hands touch her in return. Taking a breath, she ignored the sudden tightness in her belly. <br/>“So what’s the real problem here?” Riker asked softly, “because you seem a little worried.” <br/>“I don’t think I can go back in there” Eowyn admitted, “I see them everytime I close my eyes.” Riker’s grin vanished she saw him swallow hard.  “I should have buried them, I shouldn’t have just left them there.”<br/>“It was the right call lieutenant,” Riker’s hand gripped her wrist, “None of this was your fault.” Guilt in those words and in the way he bit his lip. Realisation dawned, Riker blamed himself for all of it.<br/>“Sir I-”  <br/>“I’ll take care of it.” Quiet words edged with steel. Eowyn realised there was no point arguing.<br/>“Are you sure?”<br/>“Give me the phaser and stay here” Will held out his hand.<br/>“What are you going to do?”<br/>“Like you said, we can’t just leave them. I’ll be back in a while.” smiling grimly he took the weapon from her unresisting grip. “It’s my duty to take care of them.”<br/>“Riker-”<br/>“It’s okay, I’ll take care of it” he weighed the weapon in his hand, readying himself. Then looked up at her. “just wait here” he patted her shoulder distractedly.<br/> Eowyn watched him square his shoulders, virtually standing to attention, before walking stiffly towards the runabout. He hesitated by the jagged hole in the ships side, then ducked in side.  The first phaser blast made Eowyn flinch. Her eyes prickled, Will was vaporising their crewmates bodies. She jumped at every short uneven blast, trying not to think about the people those twisted corpses had been. She covered her mouth to block a sob, dragging air into her lungs, pushing it down. <br/>Riker emerged  unsteadily from the darkness, head hanging, shoulders slumped. He stumbled as he walked towards her. “Personal affects, what I could find.” he pushed a small bundle into her hands and staggered away, Eowyn opened it. Communicators, a couple of wedding rings some jewellery. Breath catching in her throat she tied the bundle back up.<br/>“That was a good thought”  <br/>“The bodies are gone now, but the smell, the smell-” his voice roughened trailed off, he straightened up. “I need a minute” he muttered and walked a short distance away. “I’m fine “<br/>“Sure, you are.”Eowyn shook her head at his stubbornness, she marched after him and gripped his shoulder. “Sir, please sit down”<br/>“I’m alright”<br/>“Please just sit fucking down” exasperated she whirled him round. There were tears on his face, he had been trying to hide them from her. Eowyn let go of his arm and feeling bad, took a step back. Riker looked ashamed, as if letting the command mask drop were a kind of sin. “Just sit down” she softened her voice a little. She saw him wavering and steered him to a log making him sit with a light push of her fingers. “how you feeling”<br/>“Just a little light headed”<br/>“You look like you are going to throw up”<br/>“I am absolutely fine lieutenant.” Smiling, despite the tears still drying on his cheeks. Eyes daring her to contradict him. Eowyn took a breath and wondered if he had always been this utterly repressed. <br/>“You know pulling rank on me doesn’t work, why even try.”<br/>“I live in hope.” The mask of swaggering bravado was back.<br/>“You really hate needing other people.”<br/>“That’s not true, you don’t understand.” Will muttered, the mask slipped again. “It is my job to look after you,” he jabbed a finger at her “I’m supposed to keep you safe, like I was supposed to keep them safe” he jerked his head in the direction of the shuttle. “So far I’m failing”<br/>“you’re not” she rubbed his shoulder felt his muscles tense under her fingers, “ but, I think you should stay out here.” Eowyn suggested, “Keep an eye out for what ever it tried to eat me.” her words kindled defiance in Will’s eyes.<br/>“No, I should come with you”<br/>“I owe you, for the thunderstorm.” <br/>“You don’t owe me.”<br/>“Okay but I can tell you don’t want to go back in there” she hunched down to look him in the eye. He avoided her gaze, but couldn’t hide how pale he was or the shiver that racked his shoulders. “The bodies are gone, I’ll be fine.”<br/>“But-”<br/>“No” she stood up. “Just no.”<br/>“We need another phaser, or at least a power cell” he held up the weapon “This ones nearly dead,” still trying to give orders. Eowyn fought the urge to roll her eyes and instead focused on walking to the runabout. One foot in front of the other, she hesitated before the fetid opening pushing away the urge to throw up and cast a last look at Riker, perched on his log looking a lot less like the starfleet officer that had crashed in this forsaken place. She took a last deep breath of clean air and stepped inside. </p>
<p>Riker had been right about the smell, Eowyn told herself when she stumbled back into the light a while later. She leaned against the hull and forced herself not to gagh, it wasn’t like she had anything left to throw up anyway. He was still sat on the log, anxious face turned towards the ship. The anxiety melting away into a relieved smile, that kicked her in the heart and dragged hot blood to her cheeks. “Remember he is your senior officer” she whispered to herself. Pulling her self together took effort. She shouldered her pack, now full of what little she had been able to salvage and walked the last few metres.<br/>“How did it go?” he looked hopeful. Eowyn’s heart sank. She half shrugged, dumping her pack on the ground and sat down next to him.<br/>“I salvaged some equipment, but the communications array is toast. We might be able to jerry-rig a short range beacon.”   <br/>“How short range?”<br/>“Short, not even sure I can boost it enough to get through the atmosphere. Best I can do.”<br/>“Well that’s just perfect.” Will growled, frustration written in the set of his jaw. “We might be here a little longer then.”<br/>“Yeah, afraid you are stuck with me.”   <br/>“I’m sorry about earlier, you didn’t need to see that. Hardly how officers behave is it?” Will said quietly.<br/>“It’s understandable.”<br/>“Still-”<br/>“Don’t apologise for being human, I don’t. Or at least mostly human” Eowyn nudged his shoulder and summoned a smile. Catching the curious look that flashed over his face, she sighed, but at least maybe she could distract him from his self imposed guilt. “Go on ask, I can tell you want to. people always want to ask, but they are too damn polite.”<br/>“Okay how did you happen?”<br/>“my great grandmother is a trill, she married a Scotsman, they had my grandfather, who married a Vulcan, they had my Mom who married my Dad..who is half Betazed.”<br/>“All that mixed up DNA, that why your eyes-.”<br/>“Yeah” she interrupted, “that is why my eyes are this weird colour”<br/>“It’s not weird” Riker tilted his head closer, holding her gaze  “It’s beautiful, like stars on velvet.”<br/>“So you can be charming” her breath hitched in her chest. “don’t be,”<br/>“Why not?” he asked confusion in his voice. Eowyn touched his cheek, trying not to smile. <br/>“Riker I might be a gene edited nightmare, but I am fertile. When was the last time you had your meds?” The question surprised him, he blinked at her understanding dawning.<br/>“Before I went to Risa” he admitted, the tops of his cheeks turning bright red. “You?”<br/>“Longer”<br/>“Oh”<br/> “So” slapping his chest regretfully, Eowyn stood up. “Stop being charming.”</p>
<p>Eowyn was staring into the fire trying to sleep. It was difficult, her thoughts kept roaming to places she didn’t want to go. Like the way her skin flushed when she caught Will staring at her. She could feel his eyes on her now. He was sat against the cave wall, the lantern beside him stripping bark from a stout branch. The snick, snick of the knife was the only sound, after a while it started to burrow into her skull. “What are you doing?”<br/>“Making a fishing spear, I’m sick of ration packs” he didn’t look up from his whittling. “I take it you have never been fishing.”<br/>“Not really my thing.” <br/>“you missed out.” Smiling to himself, Will thrust the end of the branch in the fire, pulling it out when it began to smoulder and blacken. “Heat hardens the point” he told her by way of explanation.<br/>“I’ll take your word for it.”<br/>“I used to fish a lot as a kid.” The smile turned bitter sweet at some fond memory. She wondered what remembrance made him smile in that slow sad way. She opened her mouth to ask him, then snapped it shut, the words died on spoken on her tongue. “Where did you grow up?”Will asked suddenly.<br/>“Star ships and star-bases a lot of different ones.”<br/>“That must have been difficult, lonely.” he was clearly fishing.<br/>“Are you trying to get in my head again Commander?”<br/>“Just trying to get to know you better.”<br/>“Well don’t” she wriggled into a more comfortable position and attempted to close her eyes.<br/>“We may be here a while, you going to keep this up until we get back to the Enterprise?”<br/>“Keep what up.” She wished he would just shut up.<br/>“This” he gestured widely, “this constant antagonism?” Eowyn made a rude noise and sat up.<br/>“you know why.”<br/>“So our only alternative is to hate each other?” Will surged to his feet the makeshift spear clattered against the wall. “Forth coming as ever” he muttered when she didn’t answer. He was breathing hard, glaring at her with those ridiculously bright eyes. In the nights heat he had shed his uniform jacket, the black under-shirt clung to the muscles of his chest sending little jolts of lightening down her spine. She looked away abruptly, biting her lip so he wouldn’t hear the exasperated breath that hissed over her teeth.<br/>“You’re my C/O it’s a bad idea.” That was a lie. Mostly, because really she longed to shove him up against the cave wall, rip off his shirt and-. “Fuck off Riker” she growled buried her head in the folds of the sleeping bag and tried to think about anything else.<br/>“Really?” Will laughed at her, “you hate me because you actually like me, there’s some fearsome logic.” he was staring at his feet now, “Can’t we try to be friends, please.” <br/>“I don’t hate you,” she turned over “I’m tired can you please just go to sleep.”<br/>“I’d love too, but ah..” his voice trailed off, he clasped his hands together, but it was too late. Eowyn saw his fingers tremble.<br/>“What?” <br/>“I haven’t, slept that is. Not for a couple of nights. Just find myself laying there, praying the sun will rise.” Eowyn wasn’t sure what to say to that, she bit back a glib answer.<br/>“Anxiety?” she asked.<br/>“Yeah, seems I may have developed a slight fear of the dark.”  Honesty for once, but he laughed it off. Even so, Eowyn saw how he peered into the shadows of the cave. She wondered what he thought was lurking there. <br/>“Were you afraid of the dark as a kid?”<br/>“when I was very small yeah” he admitted uncomfortably. Eowyn closed her eyes for a second, remembering the way he had clung to her and cried for his mother.<br/>“It gets cold at night.” A believable lie to make it easier. She patted the ground beside her, riker hesitated, consternation furrowing his brow. <br/>“You are sure?”<br/>“Come on Riker, before I change my mind” <br/>“you could call me Will.”<br/>“Why”<br/>“It’s my name.” He shrugged.<br/>“Okay then, Will,” Testing the name out on her tongue and trying not to like how it sounded. “Can we please go to sleep now.” Eowyn turned back to watch the branches crumbling to ash in the fire. She heard him fetch his bedding, grunting as he lay down. Warm breath tickled the back of her neck, she sensed he looked at her for a while. The solid body warming her back was more comforting than she could ever admit, stiffly she held herself away. Slowly though, as his breathing quietened and Will drifted into fitful slumber her rebellious exhausted body over ruled her brain. Sure he was asleep, she turned over and burrowed close. Will’s eyes opened a crack, he smiled sleepily. <br/>“Sleep well, Eowyn” The whispered words were heavy with a question they both knew the answer to.<br/>“Good night Will,” she curled herself against his chest, letting his breathing finally lull her to sleep.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Adrift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>so, i hear you ask; what is happening on the Enterprise while Will and Eowyn are trying hard not to die or shag each other? Well read on..</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Five days previously and 18 light years away, Deanna was standing her customary nightwatch on the bridge, staring at the stars rushing past the viewscreen as the Enterprise purred along at warp 3. The low lights and whispered conversation were lulling her busy brain, she was more than happy to let the anxious thoughts nibbling at her mind go and just watch the stars go by. There was something special about the night watch, something indefinable, all that darkness, all that quiet, it made her feel small, but connected to all those lives around her. The ship dreamed wrapping her in softness, her gaze drifted to the vacant seat next to the Captains chair.  It’s emptiness reminded her Will wasn’t back from Risa yet, she missed him, but also was guiltily glad he had taken some leave.  ‘At some point you are going to have to talk to him about Worf’  a voice in her head pointed out, it sounded like her mother. No, she didn’t want to have that conversation, to admit to Will she was falling in love with his best friend. Deanna shifted in her seat, calm dissipating as she surveyed her suddenly tangled love life. It would hurt Will, she knew that and Will would do his usual stoic starfleet officer routine and pretend it didn’t. They were so different, Worf and Will. With Will  she might have been able to sense his feelings, but he barely let them out. He hadn’t always been like that, sometimes she wandered what had happened to the dashing young officer, her imzadi. Will had been a lot more open all those years ago. Worf though, for all his pretended Klingon stoicism, was an open emotional book. He loved her unambiguously without constraint. It was an intoxicating feeling to be loved so much. But still, she didn’t want to hurt Will, didn’t want to cause him pain.<br/>Pain she felt a tendril of it in her mind, less than nothing. A shadow or an echo that disappeared as soon as she tried to grasp it, frighteningly in it’s familiarity. “Will?”<br/>“Pardon ma’am?”  From her seat at the con Ensign Gates was giving her an odd look. Deanna  straightened her shoulders, trying to master the cold dread raising goose bumps on her neck. Her breath escaped in a strangled grunt. “Commander Troi are you okay?” Gates was staring at her with concern, she opened her mouth to reassure her, but was interrupted by a cheery ping! From the com system.<br/>“Counsellor Troi report to my ready room”  Picard’s voice summoned her. Dread crept up her spine, she didn’t want to go in there. She stood up clenching her fists, pulling herself together.<br/>“Ensign Gates you have the Conn”<br/>“Yes Ma’am” Gates nodded.<br/>“You wanted to see me sir” Deanna looked at Picard, his face was calm, composed even. but the air was heavy, what ever it was he was as loathe to tell her as she was to hear it. <br/>“Please, sit down counsellor.” Picard said gently, she recognised the timbre of his voice, it made her heart beat harder against her ribs. She sat taking a breath and let herself meet his eyes. “Counsellor I have to tell you” he stuttered to an uncharacteristic stop and glanced away. Then gathering him self together he looked up and leaned forward hands clasped on his desk “Deanna, Will’s Runabout failed to check in.” ‘imzadi!’ her heart plummeted, she had known what her captain was going to say, the reality of it hit her hard. Instinctively she threw her mind wide open straining for any sense of him, no matter how distant. There was nothing, not a trace the crew dreamed on their burbling thoughts unchanged, she sensed Worf sleeping decks away.   Picard was looking at her a question in his eyes.<br/>“No I can’t sense him, earlier on the bridge for a moment there was something-” she answered, her throat tightened. <br/>“Would you know counselor if-” The Captains voice trailed off unwilling to ask the question. His fingers tapped against his desk, a physical symptom of the reticence he was feeling even asking. Picard had always trod lightly around her and Will’s relationship. <br/>“I’d know, I’d know if he were gone.” Picard didn’t ask her to explain, he just nodded sharply.<br/>“Then we had better go find him.” Picard stood up pulling his uniform straight with a crisp tug. “We will find him Deanna.” <br/>“I know sir” Deanna tried to smile, to reassure herself and her captain. It felt false though and did nothing to dislodge the fear sitting in her belly. Picard hesitated by the doors.<br/>“Deanna, I would understand if you would prefer not to stand the rest of your watch.” <br/>“I’ll be fine sir.” better to being doing something, anything.<br/>“oh course” he beckoned her and together they walked on to the bridge. “Ensign Gates,lay in a course for starbase 12, warp 8”<br/>“The Runabout disappeared there?”<br/>“in the vicinity, we will lend our assistance to the search effort”<br/>“Course plotted” Gates called out.<br/>“Give the order, Commander” Deanna nodded to the ensign, pulled her mind away from the distracting simmering mess of her life and focused on what needed to be done. Will was out there somewhere, maybe hurt, maybe worse. Everything else could wait until he was at least safe. Then maybe she could talk to him.<br/>“go to warp” the stars rolled sideways as the ship turned and stretched as the ship speeded up.<br/>“Wake the senior staff, we need to formulate a search plan. You have the con.” Picard turned away taking a step back towards his ready room.<br/>“Aye sir”<br/>The briefing seemed pointless to Deanna, The information available was sparse and damning; an ion storm and then nothing. Will and the eleven officers with him were just gone. She stared unseeing at her reflection in the glossy black table, half listening to her colleagues discussing search plans; Half still searching for Will. Soul still screaming into void she reached out in vain, seeking a sense of him.<br/>“This was the Mayday received by star-base 12 ” Data’s voice dragged her attention back to the meeting.<br/>“To any federation ships. This is the runabout Miranda we are trapped in an ion storm and need immediate assistance.”Will’s voice filled the room, roughened by urgency. The hidden fear she heard there was like a shard of glass in her soul. <br/>“When did the starbase receive this?” Deanna asked, fighting the urge to bite down on her lip.<br/>“0430 hours” Data supplied the time with more reticence, than usual. She let her self meet his eyes, as ever she was unable to judge what she saw there, Data’s gaze was inscrutable as ever, but now  she caught a flicker of the humanity he sought.<br/>“430hrs” Deanna repeated, yes it fitted that was when she had felt the sliver of fear.<br/>“Yes Counsellor.”<br/>“Is that significant?” Picard asked.<br/>“No sir” A necessary lie, how could she explain instantly recognising the shadowy terror had come from Will? The thought jolted her, Will in his hurt and terror had instinctively reached for her. She could only hope it wasn’t to say goodbye. Picard was looking at her speculatively from under half lowered eyelids, for a moment she thought he was going to press her for an answer. Instead he nodded sharply granting her privacy. <br/>“Mr Data how long will it take us to get to the search area?”<br/>“Five days at warp 8” Data spoke up crisply. Five days just to get to the search area, Deanna tried not to think about the implications.<br/>“Make sure all shuttles are available for search and rescue duties, Mr Worf use the long range sensors and start scanning for the runabouts warp signature.”<br/>“Aye sir”<br/>Deanna flinched as Worf’s fingers closed around hers under the table. He must have felt the shudder and taken it for censure because he let go almost immediately. Deanna sensed his confusion, his hurt. She gave him a half smile projecting reassurance.<br/>“Mr Data you have the con, keep me updated. Dismissed” Picard stood up and headed for the bridge, the rest of the senior staff followed. Beverly crusher patted her  sympathetically shoulder as she passed. Deanna took a step forward intending to follow-<br/>“Deanna wait,” Worf caught her hand holding her back. “Are you alright?” real earnest concern in those brown eyes. he stooped a little to catch her gaze.<br/>“I’m worried about Will”<br/>“I share your concern, but Commander Riker will survive.”<br/>“Will he Worf?”<br/>“You doubt it?”<br/>“He, he has not been himself lately” Deanna crossed her arms and stared at her boots “will seems distracted”. A gentle touch lifted her chin, Worf’s dark eyes regarded her with concern.<br/>“In what way?”<br/>“I’m not sure.” she shook her head, “its difficult to explain. But I think he knows about us, or he suspects at least.” she closed her eyes as she faced up to her feelings. “i was glad he went to Risa, but now-”<br/>“You feel guilt for wishing him gone?” Worf said softly, deanna couldn’t help smiling, Sometimes Worf knew her better than she knew herself.<br/>“Yes I do.”<br/>“we must talk to him when he returns. Deanna it is the only honourable thing to do.”<br/>“I know Worf” Ruefully she patted his chest, “but it is not a conversation I am looking forward to.”<br/>“I cannot say I relish the prospect” Worf paused and drew a breath, his shoulders straightened, unconsciously standing to attention. Deanna hid a fond smile “but I do not like lying to him.” Adding with vehemence. “Commander Riker is my senior officer and my friend, I owe him the truth”<br/>“I know Worf”  Her lover’s conflicted feelings washed over her, he hated hiding from Will. Doubt, quickly crushed clouded Deanna mind for a second. Part of her still wondered if she were being entirely fair to Worf, she was sure she loved him and yet-<br/>“Deanna shall we go?”<br/>“Of course” Mentally giving herself a shake, she smiled up at him. “Walk me to my quarters?” she let a suggestion creep into her voice and was rewarded by an imperceptible grin.<br/>“I would like that”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Sea Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>and back to the planet for a little more sexual frustration..plus some angsty conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will woke with the dawn. As the last threads of his dream frittered away, he realised Eowyn was still nestled against his back. The touch of her skin against his made his breath snag in his chest. Will went very still, guiltily enjoying the warmth of her body. She shuddered against him in her sleep. and pulled closer. It was too much, not daring to breath he twisted, shifting so he could watch her sleep. Her eyelids fluttered,  Will scrambled to form an excuse, any excuse for the stupid soppy grin on his face.   Eowyn sighed rolling on to her back, she threw her arms above her head, snuggled her cheek into the sleeping bag. Just dreaming he realised and then wondered what she was dreaming about. Will studied her sleeping face and with shaky fingers dared to trace the intricate pattern of spots across her forehead. “No” he rebuked himself softly, snatching his hand away, knowing he had no right even to that brief stolen touch. He needed to get away, centre himself. What if Eowyn woke to find him hanging over her? How would that look?<br/>Not wanting to endanger their fragile truce, biting his lip to keep from yelping at the deep ache in his side Will slipped from under the covers. “I’m going out” he told her softly, her lashes fluttered and settled. Clamping his mouth shut over the inevitable grunt of agony, he scrambled to his feet. <br/>The pain wasn’t to bad today at least, but any sudden movement and it still flashed into fire. It was stupid, but part of him really didn’t want Eowyn to know how much it really hurt. It was hard enough to stay in command when he couldn’t even dress himself. Will retrieved his makeshift spear and set off down the hill, determined to do something useful.<br/>The star was still rising, twice the size of earth’s sun shedding wreaths of deep indigo and cyan clouds. Will stopped and took a deep breath of the night cooled air. This morning the skies above seemed calm, with no sign of the wild and windy weather in the deep blue vault, though a shining mist shrouded the valley below. He had always loved to see the dawn when planet side, it never failed to lift his soul. A star was almost always at it’s loveliest when rising and the lambda star was no disappointment. He watched for a moment or two longer, then started to descend into the misty forest. <br/>Will was maybe halfway down the slope when the animal trail he was following opened out into a clearing a sharp drop bordered one side. A long low snarl rooted him to the spot. Two creatures, catlike, lithe, muscled bodies covered in black shimmering feathers that rippled with colour when the light struck them. large eagle wings sprouted from powerful shoulders and beat the air irritably. They were facing off across the wide clearing, sniffing each other warily. At least I am down wind, he thought ruefully heart thumping. Thanking which ever deity looked out for unobservant starfleet officers, he took a step backwards intending to retrace his steps. He thought regretfully of the phaser he had left behind in the cave. ‘Idiot’.<br/>“Riker!” an urgent whisper behind him, Eowyn standing a few feet away phaser aimed at the nearest beast.  <br/>“put the phaser away, that is an order lieutenant Tel.” Will growled. “no way you could get both of them.” <br/>“But-”<br/>“For once will you listen.” Eowyn shot him a rebellious glare, but let him draw her under the cover of the nearest tree. Through the dancing fronds they watched the creatures snarl at each other.  <br/>“Are they fighting?”<br/>“Pretty sure they are not fighting” Will whispered.<br/>“and how the hell would you know?” Eowyn hissed shrinking against his side.<br/>“Where I grew up on earth we had large predators, this isn’t a fight trust me.” Even though adrenalin was racing through his blood stream, making his heart beat loudly in his ears Will couldn’t help grinning. The things circled each other, he could feel the growling? Purring? Through the soles of his boots. <br/>“So they are..” Eowyn’s voice tailed off as realisation dawned. <br/>“Flirting.” Will clarified, his voice breaking with a smothered chuckle. That earned him a hard glare him “sorry” he apologised. <br/>“Right maybe we should leave them to it.” Eowyn backed up Will snagged her waist and held her still. <br/>“Bad idea, right now they are interested in each other. You want them interested in us?” he hissed into her ear.<br/>“So we stay still?” she breathed, pressing her cheek against his and gripping his arm where it hugged her waist. Suddenly Will became painfully aware of every detail, every slight movement, her braids smelled of woodsmoke from sleeping by the fire, the slight quiver in the rise and fall of her chest.<br/>“Yeah we stay still” he muttered, throat dry. Wondering if she had any idea what this closeness was doing to him. He looked down and caught the fleeting, knowing smile that twitched across her lips. Eowyn turned her head a little, eyes flicking up at him, sparking with sardonic amusement. Blood flared and exploded into Will's cheeks, she knew. The thin air suddenly felt non-existent, crushing down a gasp he tried to unwind his arm from around her waist. One of the circling creatures halted, and sniffed the air. Will froze, Eowyn stiffened, her grip on his wrist tightened. After a breathless, terrifying moment the creature, rubbed it’s face catlike against the other’s , the purring got louder.<br/>“They are not flirting now.” <br/>“No” Will agreed, he turned his gaze away from the spectacle, concentrating instead on the ground. trying to ignore the way Eowyn pressed her back against his chest not hear the little panicked huffs of breath that hissed over her teeth. A roar of ecstatic triumph shook the trees and vibrated through Will’s body, leaving him feeling a little breathless. Eowyn had drawn the phaser again, her hand was shaking. “Don’t” Will lunged pushing the phaser down. “they’re leaving.” the animals roared at them one last time before turning away to lope down the trail. They picked up speed spreading enormous wings as they reached the cliff edge and together leapt into the sky. Eowyn holstered the phaser,  her hand shaking.  <br/>“So this planet has flying lions, great.” he muttered. The lacerated muscles in his side had started to ache, biting his lip Will turned away. <br/>“I told you there were large predators” Eowyn muttered. “And you said we shouldn’t go out alone.”<br/>“I’m sorry” He reached out to touch her shoulder, thought better of it and let his hand drop.<br/>“You can’t even follow your own orders.”<br/>“I know it was stupid”<br/>“Will! You didn’t even take the phaser.” anger sparking in her eyes, Will couldn’t help noticing how she used his first name and felt mildly gratified. <br/>“I left it for you, just in case”<br/>“Just in case of what?” she laughed “I got attacked by flying fucking lions” Eowyn raised an eyebrow at him. Will let out a breath, she was right. ‘I’m an idiot,’ he told himself savagely. <br/>“I am sorry Eowyn.” <br/>“What were you even doing?”<br/>“I was going fishing.” he held up his spear with a shrug. “I wanted some time to myself,”<br/>“Why?”<br/>“Are you really going to make me answer that?” <br/>“No” Eowyn scuffed her boot in the dust, they stared at each. Not knowing what to say, Will looked away first. “I’m sorry I yelled, I was scared”<br/>“So was I” Will admitted. “I shouldn’t of grabbed you like that, I just-” Will shut his mouth as he realised there wasn’t a plausible excuse. “I was just trying-” he groaned in frustration shoulders sagging. “I don’t know what to do.”<br/>“It’s okay” Eowyn interrupted, she looked uncomfortable. “It’s fine, lets just go fishing.” she held out her hand, for a second Will thought she was going to say more, he saw the indecision in her eyes. The outstretched fingers shook, “Come on. I know you’re in pain Will, you are not very good at hiding it.”<br/>“it does ache” he admitted, “Everything aches actually.” he took her hand. </p>
<p> By the time they reached the banks of the river, the morning fog had burned away and the sun was blazing in the sky. Eowyn found a shaded spot under a tree and sat down, letting her legs dangle in the water. “Maybe you should sit, rest for a bit” <br/>“I’m okay now.” Will dragged his shirt over his head. “lets see if I can catch us some breakfast.” he grinned at her and waded into the stream. <br/>“I really think you should take a minute” she called after him, knowing it was pointless. Every time Will’s armour cracked his ego seemed to bounce back twice as hard. “Will, you are not as tough as you think you are.” <br/>“What are you talking about” Will hissed, only half listening attention entirely focussed on the water. Quick as lightening he stabbed down with his makeshift spear and triumphantly pulled a wriggling ichthyoform from the river bed. It looked a little like a trout, with less fins and eyes on stalks. <br/> “you were calling out for your Mother.”<br/>“What?” he stopped half way through gutting the almost-fish and looked over his shoulder at her.<br/>“When you had that fever, you cried for your Mom. Also for Deanna, but mostly for your Mommy.”<br/>“You heard wrong.” Will had gone very still. He impaled the still slightly twitching fish on a green twig, rammed the stick upright into the bank waded back into the stream.<br/>“No I didn’t.”<br/>“My Mom died when I was a baby.” Will said quietly, he stood up, shoulders sagging.<br/> “I’m sorry.” Eowyn felt like an idiot, she only wanted to get him to slow down, to think. He didn’t seem to hear her, shaking his head dismissively he turned back to the rippling water.<br/>“Why would I call out for a dead woman? I don’t even remember what she looked like.” old pain coloured his voice, her words had cut him deep. <br/>“I said I was sorry, I didn’t know she was dead.” it was a weak apology,<br/>“You didn’t ask, and I didn’t do that.” He shot her a bitter, hurt laden glare. <br/>“Will, you were ill and scared. In those circumstances-”  <br/>“Shut up, just shut up!” Eowyn fell silent hugged her knees and picked up a pebble, she tossed it into the glittering water. <br/>“Stop that you’ll scare the fish.” Will growled. She grabbed a slightly larger rock and threw it hard, it plopped down a few inches away from Will water splashing him in the face. “I said stop it”<br/>“No” She leapt into the water made a wild grab for Will’s hips dragging him under. <br/>“What the hell Eowyn” he shouted exasperated, water running from his nose he took a step towards the bank. She didn’t give him chance to escape, driving a sheet of water into his angry face before he could retaliate. “Stop it” he splashed her back.<br/>“Missed!” ducking under she made a grab for his legs, he went down with an inarticulate cry of anger, only to rise spluttering and trying not to laugh.<br/>“You’re insane!” laughing now he lunged for her, Eowyn read his intention, stepped sideways and shoved him hard. Will lost his footing and crashed back under the water. He made another bid to drag her down, but she slipped from his grasp and surfaced a couple of meters away. “can’t catch me”<br/> “Don’t you think this is a little childish?”<br/>“maybe, but you are smiling.” She took a step closer, soaked, half naked, chest heaving and up to his hipbones in water he looked almost too good. “I’m going to have to change this dressing, its soaked,” she reached out and smoothed the bandage flat. Then without thinking walked her fingers up his chest, enjoying the way his skin quivered.  She tilted her head back to look up at him, he was peering at her through half closed eyes. <br/>“Hi” he said softly. This time she gave in and pressed her lips against the ones that hovered invitingly just inches away, her body responded instantly. Her heart jumping, skin screaming to be touched. Will let out a small gasp he cupped her jaw, thumbed the contours of her face, Eowyn  gripped his hips and tugged him close. hesitatingly, Will kissed her harder and for a second there was nothing else, she could feel the almost touch of his fingers as they hovered above her hips. His muscles tensed under her hand, he pulled away. “No, we can’t do this”<br/>“I know” she patted his chest regretfully. “I just wanted to know what it would feel like.”  she loosed his hips. “It felt good.”<br/>“It did.” his voice was raw.<br/>“i remind you that we are marooned, with no contraception and no medical care.”<br/>“I know that” his smile turned sad and he stepped back, fingers lingered on her jaw for a moment then dropped away.<br/>“Good just reminding myself as well.”  she waded ashore and sat down on the bank. After a moment standing motionless in the stream Will followed her. She held out his shirt as he approached. “You better put that on.” he took it from her with a crooked smile, then sat down.<br/>“I am sorry about your mom”<br/>“it’s fine” Will muttered without looking at her.<br/>“It’s clearly not fine. You ever going to stop bullshitting me Will.”<br/>“Like I said, I don’t remember her.” he pulled his shirt over his head, silently Eowyn helped him slide his arms in and smoothed it down over the bandage.<br/>“How old were you when she died?” Eowyn asked after a moments hesitation.<br/>“Two” monosyllabic, but at least he was willing to talk about it now.<br/>“What happened?”<br/>“She got sick”<br/>“What about your Dad, how did he cope?”<br/>“he didn’t, it’s complicated.” Will’s breathing huffed a little, he fell stonily silent. “we talk now, but” he shrugged, “I don’t think I’ll ever completely forgive him.”<br/>“I was lonely as a kid”<br/>“Pardon?”<br/>“The other day, you asked me if I was lonely growing up.” she nudged his shoulder. “I was, I spent most of my childhood being shuttled between star ships and relatives. Wasn’t exactly stable.” she stood up. “come on sun’s going down” he grasped the hand she held out.<br/>“They are going to find us” he said softly, by way of reassurance. Eowyn grimaced as she pulled him to his feet.<br/>“Lets hope so”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Prospero's Daughter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>well..i'll be honest this one contains a filthy bit..plus some angst and plot...enjoy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another morning, Will frowned at the solar charger he was trying to construct out of scavenged parts. Things were getting desperate, the single working phaser barely had any power left and they only had one fully charged tricorder battery. Between that and the food situation it was difficult not to feel despondent. And then of course there was the other thing, Will glanced over to where Eowyn was kneeling on the floor using a large rock as a work bench.<br/>
“Give me your combadge” Eowyn demanded suddenly holding out her hand.<br/>
“Why can’t you use yours?”<br/>
“Will please” she wriggled her fingers at him and raised an eyebrow.<br/>
“Fine” feeling a little resentful he pulled the badge from his shirt and handed it over. He watched as she swiftly disassembled the device, picking apart the tiny components.<br/>
“Anyway, it’s your turn.” she reminded him, attention entirely fixed on the salvaged components. The beacon was nearly finished, an inelegant mess of circuits attached to an antennae ripped from the ships communication array.<br/>
“My turn?”<br/>
“Weirdest thing that has ever happened to you”<br/>
“Right” Will nodded. The unspoken deal, a question for a question. A simple way to stop each other going crazy.<br/>
“you promised,” She reminded him “hand me that micro spanner.” Will passed it over suddenly grinning.<br/>
“Are you sure you want to know?”<br/>
“You know the rules, I answer your question you answer mine.”<br/>
“Q once lent me his powers”<br/>
“He made you a Q?”<br/>
“Yes”<br/>
“I don’t believe you”<br/>
“I swear it happened” Will grinned, he wiggled his eyebrows at her and was rewarded with that wide smile that reached her eyes, the one that stole his breath away every damn time. He coughed and shifted his gaze to the dirt floor hoping Eowyn wouldn’t notice his suddenly flushed face. Her fingers rested briefly on his shoulder as she scooted closer.<br/>
“So you are telling me, that out of all the people Q could have shared his powers, he choose you.” breath on his neck, raising goosebumps, Will licked his lips and tried to ignore the sparks tumbling down his spine.<br/>
“Yep”<br/>
“You, Will Riker were omnipotent for a while?”<br/>
“Yes I was”<br/>
“And how did that go?”<br/>
“Not well” Will admitted, remembering the tragic end to that story. An image of the dead child flashed into his mind. All levity deserted him, guilt bubbled up from some sewer in his brain. Eowyn patted his shoulder. Will looked at her and shrugged “I suppose it’s not that good a story really”<br/>
“Well” Eowyn tilted her head briefly considering, her lips curving into a sad smile that made the blood thunder in his ears again. “still better than my exploding Gormagander story.” Will recognised she was giving him an exit and felt pathetically grateful.<br/>
“well that wasn’t really weird, it was mostly just-” he paused trying to decide on appropriate adjective, “gross.”<br/>
“It was, you are right” Eowyn pushed herself to her feet, with a groan.  “Will, you win that round of ‘weirdest thing that has ever happened to me’  and I have lost all respect for Q ” her fingers ruffled his hair briefly, doing nothing for his composure. “He has terrible taste in men. I better see if I can sort out the power supply on the beacon.”<br/>
“Do you need my help?”<br/>
“No I can handle it”<br/>
“okay I need to go use the head.” he pointed to outside and stumbled to his feet.<br/>
“don’t go too far and don’t get eaten.”<br/>
“yes ma’am” he ripped off a playful salute, making her smile again. Outside the shadows of the trees were stretched long by the morning sun. Will set off into the bushes, pushing the undergrowth away until he reached a suitable tree. He didn’t need to relieve himself, truth was he just needed to get away for a minute. “Fuck” he growled leaning back against the tree and smacking his hand loudly against the oddly smooth trunk.<br/>
He thought about Eowyn, picturing her in his mind. Remembering the way her skin seemed to glow in the sunshine, the way her breath tickled his neck. All at once the urgency she had kissed him with in the river returned to drop fire in his belly and send blood hurtling somewhere else. “Dammit!, shit!” He slammed both hands into the hapless tree repeatedly. It didn’t help. Sagging against the trunk Will lifted his face to the sun and closed his eyes. His mind helpfully dragged another vision from the depths of his memory. Smiling at him, clothes wet through, clinging to each dip and swell of her curves. Will groaned, and tried to think about anything else. But nothing worked. His cock twitched, half hating himself for his lack of self control he slipped his hand into his pants and squeezed his shaft, it hardened in his hand. Will surrendered, remembered the feel of her tongue against his, imagined running his hands over that skin.  His dick was hard and hot in his hand. He tugged gently, let out a groan as a little cum moistened the tip.He wanted to make her wet, wanted to look into those eyes and see her come. Picturing it, his hand moved faster, breathing deepened, buttocks bunched against the trunk. In his minds eye he lost himself in the imagined touch of her skin, saw those lips part to say his name-<br/>
“Will!”<br/>
“Christ, Eowyn” Teeth clenched he exploded over his hands and relaxed against the trunk gasping.<br/>
“Riker! Where the hell are you!”  Will blinked reality coming back with a vicious kick. Eowyn was really calling out to him, she sounded exasperated.<br/>
“I’m not finished, just a second” Panic set in, he dragged his pants back up and hastily scrubbed his hands in the grass. The sudden movement turned the dull ache in his side into lancing pain, he gasped and pressed his hand against the wound.<br/>
“Will!”<br/>
“I’m coming, give a guy a chance.” tugging his shirt straight and quashing the sudden pain with a series of deep breaths Will tried to regain his composure.<br/>
“Are you finished? I was starting to think you’d got lost.” Eowyn emerged from the undergrowth, the expression on her face unreadable. Will wandered if she had seen what he was doing, he sure as hell hoped not.<br/>
“yes!”<br/>
“You okay? you seem out of breath.” her eyes narrowed suspiciously.<br/>
“Thin air, must be getting to me” he started walking away, Eowyn huffed and jogged a few steps to catch him up.<br/>
“Right,” she raised an eyebrow and looked away, Will saw her lick her lips and smile to herself. The blood left his face, she had seen. Will had never felt so mortified in his life.<br/>
“have you-” His voice sounded high, he coughed to cover it up. “Did you finish the beacon?”<br/>
“yes, but we have a problem.”<br/>
“What?” Will practically pounced on her words, desperate to distract himself.<br/>
“the signals barely getting out, I knew it would have trouble clearing the atmosphere, but-” Eowyn stopped outside the entrance to the cave and shrugged.<br/>
“Some kind of problem with the local geology?”<br/>
“Maybe I’ll need time to narrow it down.” she snorted, holding up the tricorder, “Which is going to be difficult.”<br/>
“It’s not like we are going anywhere.”</p><p>Eowyn  stared at the tricorder, trying to get a handle on what it was showing her, it didn’t help that Will was perched on a nearby boulder, his gaze burning the back of her neck. Not that she had caught him looking at her, when ever she turned around he was pointedly looking elsewhere.<br/>
“There is some kind of dampening field covering this whole area.”<br/>
“Artificial?”<br/>
“Looks like it, I’m trying to pin point the source.”<br/>
“Any idea how far away it is?”<br/>
“Give me a second” she spun round quickly and caught him staring nonchalantly at the sky “and stop staring at my ass.”<br/>
“I’m not staring at your ass.” Eowyn glanced over her shoulder, Will flashed his supernova smile and raised his eyebrows.<br/>
“So what are you staring at?”<br/>
“The curve of your back and the sun on your cheek.” Will’s voice softened, roughened.  Eowyn, scalding blood rushing to her cheeks stoically returned her gaze to the distant horizon.<br/>
“No flirting, remember, not even cheesy flirting.”<br/>
“Well you asked”<br/>
“I suppose I did,” she turned around and he smiled at her again, a wicked gleam in his eye.<br/>
“besides it’s hard not to stare when the scenery is so lovely.” deliberately teasing her now, Eowyn took a couple of steps forwards and stood over Will. He tilted his head back to look up at her, “so very, very lovely” the mocking tone vanished, she read honest open need in every line of his expression. Did he understand just how much she wanted him? Tentatively she stroked Will’s cheek, he leaned into her touch caught her hand to press his lips lingeringly against her palm. Eowyn recoiled, pulling herself away from the tentative touch of his fingers on her hips.<br/>
“From these readings the centre is about 13 kilometres away, to the north.”<br/>
“That’s a hell of a hike” Will rubbed his chin and peered up at her through those unnecessarily thick eyelashes, “Over this terrain with such short days, we might not make it before the sun goes down”<br/>
“We better get going then.” she went to walk past him but he caught her hand.<br/>
“Wait”<br/>
“What?”<br/>
“Maybe I should go alone”<br/>
“you sick of my company Will?”<br/>
“What if the ship comes when while are gone? They will never find us in that dampening field. One of us should stay here.” it was perhaps the worst excuse she had ever heard. Eowyn took a deep breath, studied Wills face, jaw clenched eyes flashing with bullish fire. He was serious, he seriously thought she was going to let him march off into the forest without her. ‘How did you get like this’ she asked him silently. “I’ll be back before you know it.”<br/>
“No.” inspiration striking Eowyn scooped up a rock from the ground and marched into the cave.<br/>
“What are you doing” Will demanded following her.<br/>
“Leaving a note,” Eowyn tried not to growl at him, concentrating instead on dragging the rock over the cave wall, it left an orange streak against the grey granite. Carefully she scratched out ‘gone north’ in large letters. She stepped back rubbing her stained hands on her shirt and dropped the rock at Will’s feet. “That ought to do the trick”<br/>
“Lieutenant-”<br/>
“don’t you fucking dare pull rank on me!”  Eowyn spat at him, “I’m coming with you, Will stop trying to be a fucking hero.” she grabbed her pack and shoved her sleeping bag in it.<br/>
“What if you get hurt?” he asked in a small defeated voice, that plucked at her heart strings.<br/>
“What if you get dead? Will you’re already injured and I am not convinced you are healing properly.”<br/>
“Eowyn-” his voice was soft, conciliatory, convincingly rational. It made her furious, after everything he still trying to be in command.<br/>
“If you get desperate there are plenty of trees.” Instant regret, Will’s eyes went wide he took a few steps back.<br/>
“Uhh, so you saw that.”<br/>
“Yeah, I saw”<br/>
“I feel I should apologise or something” he was standing to almost comical attention, shame oozing from every pore.<br/>
“That probably wouldn’t help.”<br/>
“Tell me what to do? Please”<br/>
“Surak says we have to name our thoughts to regulate them.” She felt stupid even suggesting it, but they had to try something, the tension was becoming unbearable.<br/>
“I thought you hated Vulcan philosophy?”<br/>
“Yeah I do, usually. But I think in this case he may have a point.” Eowyn snatched up their remaining charged tricorder and dropped it in her pack. Will snorted folding his arms and turning away. “Come on Will! You need me to go first?”<br/>
“I don’t want to talk about this.”<br/>
“Fine.” she took a breath closed her eyes and ploughed on “I want you, you know that right?” Will stayed silent scuffing his foot in the dust. “Really? Silence”<br/>
“I don’t know how to answer that”<br/>
“Just tell me how you feel”<br/>
“You know how I feel.” flinging the words towards at her resentfully. “do you really need me to say it.” Scrubbing his beard, he turned away again. Eowyn bit her lip and rolled her eyes at his back.<br/>
“You can fight the Borg, but you are not brave enough to admit how you feel?”<br/>
“Are you calling me a coward?” his back straightened standing to attention again. Eowyn stifled an incredulous laugh and pretended to think about it.<br/>
“yes, Will Riker I think you are a coward.”<br/>
“Okay” he replied softly, shoulders slumping.“I want you. Are you happy now? I think about you all the time.”spinning round he jabbed a finger at her, “being near you is hell, I feel like clawing my skin off.”he stopped and groaned, pushing his fringe out of his eyes. “Am I supposed to feel better now?”<br/>
“I feel the same way” She told him gently, “but, can we put it to one side?” Eowyn held out her hand, “I need you Will, you need me it’s basic survival. What we want is secondary.”<br/>
“I know that” he sounded wretched, her heart jerked a little. “but I have to keep you safe”<br/>
“Will-”<br/>
“I failed to keep them safe” he gestured vaguely in the direction of the wrecked Miranda, “I keep seeing them in my dreams, those bodies.”<br/>
“Me too” Eowyn admitted softly, “but I need you with me Will, please” she pleaded feeling like an abyss surrounded them, half expecting Will to step off. “Come on” she wriggled her fingers encouragingly, breathing a sigh of intense relief when he took her hand. After a momentary hesitation she hugged him fiercely.<br/>
“Sorry” he muttered into her neck. Eowyn wondered who exactly he was apologising to, her or those twisted, once human shadows of their shared memories.<br/>
“So we stick together.”  she insisted, reluctantly untangling herself from the warmth of his arms. Grabbing his empty pack from the floor she held it out, “best grab your stuff then”<br/>
“Yes” he took it and looked up at her. There was an unreadable expression in his eyes, as if he was seeing her differently. “I won’t abandon you Eowyn.” she took a step back, realising that Will could read her as well as she could read him. Th realisation knocked her sideways left her unable to form a coherent reply, she managed to nod and pointed over her shoulder.<br/>
“I’ll wait outside.” she almost ran out of the cave and pressed her back against a sun warmed tree, thoughts pin-wheeling. Maybe a minute or so later Will followed her he didn’t approach just stood patiently looking out over the distant hills.<br/>
“You ready?” Will asked as if she had been the reluctant one.<br/>
“Yeah” she shouldered her pack and started down the hill.  She could hear the crunch of his boots against the ground as Will jogged to catch up. He drew level with her and grabbed her hand, firmly interlacing their fingers. Eowyn didn’t halt, didn’t shake free either.<br/>
“Friends again?” he asked, voice hoarse.<br/>
“Yes.” she met his gaze, saw that searching unfathomable spark in his eyes again. Wondering what it meant sent her thoughts down paths they had just agreed were forbidden.<br/>
“I won’t leave you alone here” Will muttered, he sounded contrite. His grip tightened, Eowyn squeezed his fingers reassuringly, hoping he couldn’t feel her suddenly racing heart. ‘oh’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Rising Tides</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>have an extra long chapter...contains some naked sleeping bag sharing..and quite a lot of angsty introspection, plus flirting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Deanna couldn’t recall the last time she had been this tired, she clutched at her pillow and stared at the ceiling. Five days just to get where Will had vanished, five slow agonising days of urging the ship to go faster and the constant nagging feeling that they may already be too late. Then more waiting as the crew searched for any sign of what had happened to the runabout. She hated the uncertainty, the helpless dread that set in every-time she let her thoughts linger on what may have happened to Will. The crews emotions were running high too, search and rescue missions were always stressful, but this time they were looking for one of their own. Deanna had to block out their worry, it grated against her mind exasperating her own feelings.<br/>Closing her eyes she forced her mind clear of thoughts, hoping to sink into sleep. It didn’t work, instead Worf crept into her mind. The previous few nights she had lost herself in him, but she realised that was unfair and tonight the space beside her was empty. Worf was upset when she hadn’t invited him in, hurt had bled into the air making her feel small and selfish for using him. The pillow thumped against the far wall. Full of irrational anger against the inanimate object she sprang out of bed and kicked the pillow across the floor. Clenching her fists and taking a deep breath centring herself. Where was this fury coming from? The answer was obvious ‘counsellor, counsel thyself.’ anger at herself for being so torn apart, anger at Will for getting himself lost, forcing her to face up to the reality of life without him. She loved Worf, she was certain of that and yet- There it was ‘and yet’ a nebulous cloud full of what ifs and might have beens; would there ever be a time they were really finished, friends and nothing more? Was she really being honest with herself, with Worf? Deanna groaned, no answers revealed themselves and sleep seemed further away than ever. Letting out a deep sigh, she retrieved her uniform from where it lay crumpled on the floor. A long low whistle from the com system startled her as she pulled on her pants and tried to restore some kind of order to her hair.<br/>“All senior officers report to the observation lounge” Data’s voice, neutral calm, still Deanna crushed down sudden panic. She took a last look in the mirror trying to compose her expression and caught herself avoiding her own eyes.</p>
<p>“Well Mr Data?” Picard tipped his head meaningfully at the android.<br/>“Sir I have to report that I have detected background radiation that could indicate a warp core breach it is possible that the Miranda never cleared the storm.” Shocked silence followed Data’s words.<br/>“but we haven’t found any debris that suggests the shuttle exploded” Geordi interjected a hopeful note in his voice, “though the storm could have disbursed it beyond our sensor range.”<br/>“Commander Riker is a skilled pilot, I refuse to believe an ion storm capable of catching him out” Picard sounded almost angry, Deanna couldn’t blame him. His frustration was mirrored by everyone in the room, except Data of course, who remained an island of unreadable calm. Beverly had taken the seat beside her, she smiled at Deanna reassuringly. It didn’t help, she could still sense her friends lurking dread. “Data what’s the nearest star system?” Picard asked.<br/>“Lambda Goranis three”<br/>“Commander Riker would head there” Worf rumbled, from the other side of the table. Deanna could still feel his confusion about the previous night, she avoided his gaze. “if they had to eject the warp core, emergency power would not last long.”<br/>“What do we know about this system Mr Data?”<br/>“Very little sir, the last survey was carried out 100 years ago.” Data stood up and touched the wall screen. A graphic of the Lambda Goranis system sprang into life. The planets swarming round the central blue star in a multitude of eclectic orbits. “it reports there are six class M planets with approximately 36 other planetary bodies.”<br/>“No colonies?”<br/>“No sir the Lambda star is highly unstable, the system was rejected for colonisation.”<br/>“Unstable how?” Deanna demanded, her voice sounded high. Worf narrowed his eyes at her she could still sense his concern, but it was layered with another darker shade; suspicion and ashamed jealousy.  <br/>“The stars outer layers are expanding and prone to massive coronal ejections and geomagnetic instability.” Data touched the screen again, replacing the graphic with a sensor image. He zoomed in on the writhing silver blue star, it’s photosphere raging like a storm whipped sea. Deanna shivered hugging herself. <br/>“Mr Data when we arrive ensure we monitor that star at all times” Picard ordered softly.<br/>“Aye sir”<br/>“Mr Worf maintain long range scans, they may be adrift somewhere nearby.”<br/>“yes Captain.” <br/>“Dismissed” Picard stood up, he hesitated when Deanna didn’t follow the others out. Beverly hovered by the door. <br/>“Are you quite alright Deanna” <br/>“I’m fine sir, just tired”<br/>“When did you last eat counsellor?”<br/>“It’s been awhile Sir.”she admitted, with a shrug.<br/>“I’ll take her to breakfast in ten forward” Beverly suggested in a voice that brooked no argument. </p>
<p>“So what’s going on?” Beverly demanded before tucking into her eggs with gusto. Deanna picked up her toast and stared at it.<br/>“I’m just worried about Will”<br/>“Uh huh” Beverly nodded pursing her lips, “We are all worried about him, but there is some else”<br/>“Beverly, I’m fine honestly.” Deanna assured her. Her friend regarded her for a moment, chewing thoughtfully.<br/>“Bullshit.”<br/>“Beverly!”<br/>“Deanna, I’ve known you too long” Beverly pointed her fork, “And something is up with you.” skewered by Beverly’s razor sharp gaze, Deanna squirmed in her chair. She gave up. <br/>“all right, I’ll tell you. I’ve been seeing Worf”<br/>“Okay” Beverly raised an eyebrow at the revelation. She put down her fork picked up her coffee instead and leaning forward, asked; “Since when?” sounding a little put out.<br/>“It’s recent, I wanted to tell you-but” Deanna shrugged feeling defeated, “We haven’t told anyone yet”<br/>“Including Will?” <br/>“Yes” Deanna dropped the toast back on her plate and pinched the bridge of her nose, a headache was starting to nag at her temples.<br/>“ahh I see, that is going to be an interesting conversation” Beverly patted her hand sympathetically. “How do you think he is going to react.”<br/>“Not well and I think he suspects something already.”<br/>“Oh dear, and I suppose he is being stoic about it?”<br/>“Very.” Deanna bit her lip, “i don’t want to hurt him.” <br/>“I’ll be honest, I always thought you two would end up together”<br/>“we’ve come close, more than once.” Deanna admitted ruefully. A kiss, a touch, all those secret times when it seemed the embers might catch flame again, one of them always turned away. “I told myself I didn’t care, that I wasn’t just waiting around for him to make his mind up, but I’m starting to think that was a lie I told myself. I need to move on.”<br/>“With Worf?”<br/>“He loves me” the words came out sounding a good deal more defensive than Deanna intended. Beverly sat back in her chair delicately dabbing her lips with a napkin.<br/>“And do you love him?”<br/>“Yes”<br/>“Deanna-” Beverly paused, subjecting her to another of those forensic stares. “I’m not telling you how to live your life, I love Will and Worf. But you ever think that maybe Will has put his life on hold too?”<br/>“What makes you say that?”<br/>“How many commands has Will refused?”<br/>“What’s your point?”<br/>“All I’m saying is, why is he still here? We both know how much he wants a captaincy.”<br/>“It’s not that simple” Deanna felt distinctly uncomfortable, Beverly had picked up on something she had not allowed herself to consider.<br/>“I think it is.” Beverly was using her no nonsense Doctor tone. “I think you both have a decision to make, one way or the other.”  She finished the last forkful of egg with a flourish and sat back. “I mean how would you feel if Will found someone else?”</p>
<p>Will tried not to worry as he squinted at the sun, the days were so short here; less than seven hours between sunset and sunrise, the nights were longer sometimes interminably so. He was starting to wonder if leaving the relative safety of the cave and heading into a potentially dangerous situation was such a good idea. He glanced back at Eowyn who was a step or to behind, she hadn’t spoken much. Every so often Will would feel her looking at him speculatively as if she were trying to figure something out. He found himself wondering if maybe, she had felt that weird shift in their relationship; That moment where he had seen the cracks in his soul mirrored in her eyes. <br/>“Look where you are going Will” Eowyn muttered. Will jerked his gaze back to the trail. The trees were becoming more densely packed as they headed away from the river valley, old growth clinging to thin soil broken by grey rocks that shifted underfoot making each step hazardous.<br/>“This reminds me of Chugach forest” <br/>“Where is that?”<br/>“Somewhere I used to go when I was a kid, up into the mountains. Nobody but me and the trees.” <br/>“I know how much you like trees.” Eowyn dead-panned, Will heard the chuckle she tried to smother.<br/>“very funny, you ever going to let it go?”<br/>“Eventually.” A nonchalant shrug and then she caught his eye smiling. Will concentrated on the ground in front of him, the slope they were descending was becoming more pronounced. The awkward crab like step he had adopted to keep his footing pulled at his muscles oddly. A deep ache was growing in his side, making his breath puff faster. He was pathetically grateful when Eowyn paused behind him. “So why did young Will runaway to the forest”.<br/>“Why did young Eowyn run away from a party on vulcan?”<br/>“You know why”<br/>“Well lets just say, I had my reasons too. Not that dissimilar to yours.” he grimaced as the pain crested, hid it with a wry smile. <br/>“So, you grew up in a place like this?” Eowyn snorted with disgust attempting to untangle a sticky vine from her arm, Will grabbed a handful of the adhesive stuff and dragged it off.<br/>“Not quite, but its close enough, less grizzles though”<br/>“What is a grizzly?”<br/>“Large omnivore with a very bad temper” Will stopped grinning and dragged a deep breath in to cover the pain. “We didn’t have what ever the hell that is either” he pointed to a hairy squid-like creature hanging from a branch.  <br/>“Come on nature boy, I don’t like the way it’s staring at us” Eowyn gripped Wills hand firmly and towed him away. The thing watched them go, its single eye unblinking. <br/>Mercifully the slope levelled out a few minutes later, Will was glad. The pain in his side had grown exponentially worse as he walked down the hill, any longer and he wouldn’t have been able to hide it.<br/>“I’m picking up structures ahead, dampening field seems to be emanating from them.” Eowyn halted to examine the readings, Will took advantage of the pause to sit down on a handy stump and pull deep breaths into his lungs. The pain faded back to a dull ache, he ignored the sharp suspicious look Eowyn gave him.<br/>“I didn’t think anybody lived here” Will whispered.<br/>“I don’t think anyone has for a long time, I’m not picking up any large life-signs, humanoid or other wise.”<br/>“We should still be cautious, how far away are the buildings?”<br/>“right there” Eowyn pointed to a series of low plant covered mounds.<br/>“Oh” Will turned in a circle trying to get some sense of the layout of the place. “This looks like old growth.”<br/>“Sediment build up indicates these structures are at least 500 years old.”<br/>“Any idea how we can get in? I don’t fancy digging through five hundred years of dirt.”<br/>“I’m picking up large voids within the mounds, there seems to be some kind of entrance corridor to the north.”<br/>“Come on maybe we can gain access that way”<br/>“We should set up camp somewhere, the light will be gone soon.” Will swung his pack on to his shoulder, suppressing the now habitual spasm of pain. He felt sudden wetness on his face and looked up. Large raindrops were starting to fall from the rapidly darkening sky, bruise coloured clouds starting to gather over head. “Looks like a storm is on the way”<br/>“fucking wonderful” Eowyn muttered,<br/>“Are you okay” Will asked. <br/>“Not really” she flinched as distant thunder rolled. “What about you?” Eowyn took a step towards him, concern radiating. Will realised he had been unconsciously holding his side.<br/>“I’m fine, it’s just sore, from the climb.”<br/>“Give me your pack”<br/>“That’s not necessary.” The rain was falling more heavily, fat wet drops that soaked instantly through already damp clothing. <br/>“I think it is” She held out her hand. Will shook his head, but gave up. He didn’t have the energy to fight.<br/>“Okay, fine. Lets go see if that entrance is intact.” </p>
<p>Eowyn found it first, an enormous tree had trailed it’s roots over the metal arch, half obscuring the dull metal doors. She dumped both packs under the shelter of the trees drooping branches and stood still for a moment. “I hate this fucking planet” shivers ran up her spine, she was sick of continually damp clothes, bad food and washing in river water. Taking a deep breath she turned and looked for Will. “For fucks sake” muttered under her breath as she spotted him a few meters away. He was clearly hurting and obviously trying to hide it from her again.  “Over here!” Eowyn called and watched him lope towards her. Eowyn studied him closely as he joined her in the dripping canopy, noting despite the smile he flashed, his skin was flushed and his breath huffed in his chest. “Hey” She took a step forward so they were nose to nose, reached up and cupped his cheek. “are you okay.” he wouldn’t meet her eyes, staring at his feet instead. “Look at me Will, please.” the dark circles under his eyes worried her. She ran a fingertip along his cheek bone and he finally looked at her.<br/>“Are you worried about me?”<br/>“yes” surprise flashed in his eyes at her simple reply, prompting a soft smile to curve his lips. Eowyn’s turn to look away, this was new; he had never smiled at her like that before. It made her want to kiss him again, instead she spread her palm against his side. “Are you okay or not”<br/>“I’m fine, I just need some sleep. Promise.” Sincerity in his voice, Eowyn wondered if he was lying to himself. Will’s injury worried her, she couldn’t tell if he was healing properly or not. On a starship he would have been healed days ago. Here with nothing but the basics Eowyn was feeling hopelessly out of her depth.<br/>“Alright” Eowyn muttered, choosing to believe him was easier than thinking about the alternative. <br/>“Good then shall we get out of the rain, I can feel you shivering.” That smile again.<br/>“Fine” she turned away abruptly flipping open the tricorder, “this door is made of reused Duranium alloy.”<br/>“Reused from what?” Will wondered out loud, he walked up to the door and laid his hand on the time pitted metal, “Starship hull?”<br/>“Maybe, it’s quite degraded, a low intensity phaser blast should do it.” <br/>“Lets hope so, this battery is nearly out.” Will held up the phaser, the power light was flickering red. <br/>“Where is the other one?”<br/>“I left it hooked up to the charger.”<br/>“Why?”<br/>“It’s a trickle charge, it might take a couple of days.” He raised an eyebrow at her.<br/>“Wonderful, can we please just get out of the rain!” shivering again Eowyn stepped back from the door, Will took careful aim and fired. The phaser stuttered, the beam dull it was a full minute before the metal sagged inwards.<br/>“The structure seems to be stable” Will shone his flash light through the scorched door, the rain hissed against the cooling surface. He eyed the hot metal cautiously as he squeezed through the gap. <br/>“Careful” Eowyn hissed, worried he would burn himself. <br/>“I know” Will snapped, he disappeared inside the hole. “Are you coming or not?” <br/>“Yes!” ducking through the hole, she found Will stood in the middle of a wide corridor. The ceiling arched above them, the flashlight barely beating back the gloom. Will shone the light around the walls and into the deep darkness ahead. “We should make camp here.” For a second she thought Will might argue.<br/>“You’re right” he answered softly, handing her the flashlight. “I’ll find some dry wood, wait here.” he slipped out of the door before she could object.<br/>The darkness prickled at her senses, this was a different kind of dark. The total absence of light, no stars, no sun. the daylight streaming through the broken door failed to penetrate very far. Some primal part of her brain screamed at her to run back into the light, she nearly bolted as something hissed in her ear. Heart vibrating, she fought the irrational urge. Will reappeared his arms full of branches. <br/>“Found some dry wood” he walked past her, his presence chasing away the imagined terror. Still something disturbed the air. Eowyn flinched, Will frowned at her<br/>“You okay?”<br/>“Did you hear that?”<br/>“Hear what?”Will finished piling up dead wood scavenged from under the entrance’s guardian tree.  Scrubbing his hands clean he stood up.<br/>“like whispers” it came again, like a wave falling or far off voices, throat dry Eowyn spun round scanning the shadows.<br/>“Probably just the wind.” Will set the fire going with an economical blast of the phaser. “When I was a kid, the winter storms would howl round the house. I thought it was ghosts, gave me nightmares. But it was just the wind.” He fell silent, warming his hands over the crackling logs. <br/>“So just the wind then?” Eowyn shivered, wanting to believe him.<br/>“Yes just the wind.” Will smiled at her. Eowyn knew that smile now, he was trying to reassure her.<br/>“Must have been nice, growing up in one place.” she prompted him, wanting to block out the susurration filling the pauses of their conversation. Will still seemed unperturbed, was he even hearing the same thing?<br/>“It had it’s moments, there must be somewhere that feels like home though? Vulcan?”<br/>“I hate Vulcan, too dry, too quiet. The sand makes my spots itch.” she muttered, though right now she would gladly trade her soul for the dry desert heat of Vulcan. The cold had leached into her bones, her jaw ached from clenching to stop her teeth chattering. A violent shiver snaked its way up her spine, she hugged her self. Will scrutinised her face, brow furrowed. Eowyn dodged his gaze and stepped closer to the fire. It didn’t work he simply gripped her shoulder and laid his palm on her forehead.<br/>“you’re freezing!”  <br/>“My Vulcan genes do not enjoy the cold” she admitted.<br/>“we need to get you warmed up, get out of those wet clothes.”<br/>“Really Will? very funny.”<br/>“I’m serious.” he let go of her and picked up his pack. Dragging out both sleeping bags, he dropped one at her feet. “I’ll turn my back.” folding his arms, he spun on his heel to glare into the darkness. Eowyn stared at his back, he was right of course. That didn’t make stripping any easier, “I promise I won’t look.” Will snorted, “can’t believe you think I would.”<br/>“I know you wouldn’t” Eowyn sighed and dragged off her sodden shirt. crushing it into a ball, she took aim at Will’s braced back. “even if I kind of want you too” she launched the wet shirt into the air. <br/>“hey!”It smacked Will between the shoulder blades with a wet thump. He didn’t turn round. Eowyn smothered a hysterical giggle as her skin grew colder. “Eowyn please before you get hypothermia.” his pleading tone cut through, dissipating her levity. Fingers shaking she finished undressing and climbed inside the sleeping bag. Huddling close to the fire didn’t seem to help, her body still shuddered.<br/>“Okay, Will you can look.” she heard him moving around, picking her wet clothes up and spreading them close to the fire.<br/>“Don’t look” he mumbled, “Fuck” grunting as he fumbled with his own shirt, she kept her eyes trained on the fire as he slipped into the empty sleeping bag beside her. “Feeling any warmer?”<br/>“No. I’m so tired.”<br/>“You can’t go to sleep until you warm up. Talk to me.”<br/>“What about?”  <br/> “So you hate Vulcan. What about Trill? You said your great grandmother was from there.” He was trying to distract her from the deepening shadows, Eowyn was grateful. <br/>“Yeah spent a couple of summers there, it’s lovely,” She paused biting her lip, “until she had to take a new host.”<br/>“That must have been difficult, knowing that part of her is still out there.”<br/>“It is, she was the one person I could depend on, I miss her.” <br/>“Well she left you these” With a fingertip he traced the spots along her naked shoulder, feather-light though it was she still shivered. Will snatched his hand away.<br/>“Sorry” <br/>“I swear if you ask me if they go all the way down, I will slap you.”<br/>“Uh-Can I ask you something else?” Will licked his lips, he blinked, Eowyn couldn’t tell if he was blushing or if it was just the firelight reddening his cheeks. <br/>“I suppose”  <br/>“have you ever been in love?” Will looked deeply uncomfortable even asking the question, Eowyn turned back to the fire, not wanting him to see the uncertainty in her eyes.<br/>“I don’t think so”<br/>“That’s a shame.”<br/>“don’t get me wrong, I like sex.” she admitted, trying to lighten the mood.<br/>“Me too” Will whispered his breath teased her neck raising goosebumps.<br/>“Shut up.” she snapped trying not to smile, “lets just say, it’s always fizzled out and people got hurt.” The confession made her throat close. Why, she wondered, was she telling him this? The ice in her blood didn’t seem to be subsiding she drew her knees up and hugged herself.<br/>“Anyone in particular.” Will asked, saw her shiver and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.  <br/>“Commander Ben Gossard.”<br/>“The Pikes first officer? Do you have a thing for rank?” Will grinned and fluttered his eyelashes at her, a rude reply died on her lips. she let herself smile.  <br/>“Not usually”<br/>“What happened? <br/>“He asked me to marry him, I said no and broke up with him.”<br/>“So that’s why you transferred?”<br/>“I broke his heart. Leaving seemed appropriate.” she still felt guilty being reminded of Ben. “I felt so bad about that, took two months for my transfer to come through”<br/>“Awkward situation”<br/>“you have no idea. Ben did not take it well.” Eowyn shrugged. It had been a horrible time, Ben’s hurt resentment had made working with him almost impossible. “I switched to the night shift just to stay out of his way. I really messed up.” <br/>“We all have our share of busted love affairs. No matter what you do somebody always get hurt.” Will  regarding her with sympathy<br/> “He also blocked my promotion to lieutenant commander.”<br/>“Ouch. That’s a dick move, suddenly I have no sympathy for the guy.” The tenderness infecting his tone was unbearable. Eowyn scrabbled around for a change of subject, but really there was only one question she wanted to ask.<br/>“What happened with you and Deanna?”<br/>“I fucked it up, I let my career dictate my life.” Will leaned forward to toss another branch on the fire. “I let her slip away and I hurt her very much. I’m still not sure she has forgiven me”<br/>“Have you forgiven yourself” Eowyn asked quietly. Her eyelids felt like lead, sleep tempted her.<br/>“I don’t know,  sometimes I think I’m not supposed to get what I want.” Will jiggled his arm, rousing her. “sorry, no sleep yet.” Eowyn yawned and shook herself, her train of thought derailed. “Eowyn what do you want?”  <br/>“Not sure anymore, I’m not good at sitting still. I don’t know what it would take to pin me down.”<br/>“At least you’re honest with yourself.”<br/>“is that a good thing?”<br/>“yeah.”<br/>“what about you Will?, What does Will Riker really want?”<br/>“My own ship” the automatic answer, the expected answer. But to Eowyn, the certainty in his voice sounded hollow, felt empty. Will stared at the ground. “or at least I used too”<br/>“And now?” she reached out and pushed his damp fringe from his eyes. <br/>“Honestly? I don’t know.” he huffed and was silent, the seconds ticked by slowly. Eowyn watched Will frown to himself. “Actually that’s a lie.”<br/>“What is the truth?” <br/>“Something happened and I realised there more to life than a captains chair.” Will shrugged and sat up straighter. Eowyn tilted her head catching his gaze, but he wasn’t looking at her, his attention was directed inwards. He pursed his lips and shook his head. “Doesn’t matter.”<br/>“Will, just tell me.”<br/>“Her name was Soren, she was brave and clever” Voice crumbling, he stared into the flames. Eowyn heard his breath catching in his chest as he strove to hold himself together. “And she laughed at my jokes. I loved her, but I wasn’t brave enough and I lost her.” he snapped his mouth shut, hiding his hurt. “Story of my life, always too late when it matters.”<br/>“What does that mean”<br/>“I think Deanna has feelings for Worf.”<br/>“Worf?”<br/>“The Security chief and probably my best friend”<br/>“Oh, that’s a tangled web Will.”<br/>“Yeah I know.” he muttered his face went very tight, lips pursed two high spots of colour flared on his cheeks, for a moment rank misery shone in his eyes, Eowyn could almost feel him wrestling the hurt down.“She probably thinks I haven’t noticed the way she looks at him” he shook his head and smiled sadly. “It’s the same way she used to look at me.”<br/>“That must hurt”<br/>“I want her to be happy, Worf is a good man, better than me.”<br/>“Maybe you should let her decide?”<br/>“No, I don’t want to hurt her again, I couldn’t stand it. I probably wouldn’t even do it on purpose. But I’d hurt her all the same.”<br/>“Will?” he dodged her gaze.<br/>“What?”back to monosyllables and staring at the dirt. The whispers were back, mumbling at the edges of the darkness. Eowyn shivered, ‘just the wind’ she reminded herself and wondered why the wind should fill her with such sadness.  <br/>“Hey it’s okay,” she told Will, <br/>“How is any of this okay?” Will demanded. He scrubbed his beard looking at her, expression stricken. “I don’t know what to do” Eowyn didn’t know if he was talking about his love life or their current situation, or a combination of both.<br/>“Come here.” The melancholy wind had left her even colder inside, she wrapped her arms around Will’s neck. He hesitated before returning the hug. “You are a good man, Will.” she told him stroking his hair and giving into temptation, kissed his forehead, then his cheek. Without thinking she caught his lips, Will gasped in surprise. He kissed her back.<br/>“Stop” Will whispered. He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed “this is hell”. Eowyn stroked her fingers along his jaw and then pressed her lips against his one last lingering time.<br/>“it is”<br/>“Your lips are cold” He thumbed her bottom lip. <br/>“Will I’m cold all over.”The storm that had been distantly rumbling away in the background, suddenly arrived. The thunder boomed over head, loud even through the dirt of centuries. Eowyn flinched, looked towards the hidden heavens as the old, old fear settled at the base of her belly. <br/>“Could you just hold me for a while, the storm”-<br/>“Of course” Will lay down and drew her against his side. <br/>“How much does it hurt?” her hand settled against his belly. Even through the sleeping bag, she felt his muscles quiver. “Tell me the truth.”<br/>“It aches all the time, but I’m fine. You’re still cold.”<br/>“Get in here with me.”<br/>“That’s probably not a good idea.”<br/>“Will, I can’t warm up.” Eowyn was starting to feel a little panicked, the shivers convulsing her body were almost painful. She couldn’t shake the deep cold, ice was lodged in her bones. Warm breath on her shoulder, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. “I’m serious, I’ve never been this cold.”<br/>“okay” Will muttered softly more to himself then agreeing with her. “shift over, it’s going to be snug.” It hurt to unclench her body, pins and needles tingled her toes and fingers. There was a rustle of fabric as Will awkwardly clambered into the sleeping bag. His skin felt like a furnace. <br/>“Hey!” Will yelped at the sudden chill as she wrapped her arms around his torso. “You weren’t joking.”  <br/>“Told you I was freezing.” She flexed her fingers against his shoulder muscles laid her cheek on his chest. Will held very still, his eyes screwed shut, heart beating fast against the soft skin of her belly. <br/>“Okay,” Talking to himself again Eowyn realised. “Right” The word hissed out in a long ragged breath. Hesitatingly his body relaxed, hands tentatively skimmed her ribs then pulled her closer. “I’ve got you” muttered into her braids. “Feel any better?”<br/>“A little, good thing you are so hot.” Some part of her could not resist teasing him.<br/>“No flirting.” <br/>“Probably a good idea.” Tiredness was threatening to overtake her, she still felt chilled and somewhere in the dark the whispers echoed. “Talk to me Will.”<br/>“What about?”<br/>“Tell me about Soren.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. here be monsters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>here is some pain..plus skeletons and some vulcan history.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will was floating, chest burning from holding his breath. Eyes straining to detect any glimmer of light in the freezing black water. His breath escaped, lungs filling with ice. He was five years old again, running away from his angry Dad across a frozen river. The remembered boom as the ice cracked resounded in his head, panic seized him. Pure terror clawed at his soul, he was going to die down here in the dark, alone. “Mom”<br/>“Will wake up.” someone stroked his face, warm fingers clasped his jaw dragging him from the nightmare. “Come on, wake up.” Will forced his eyes open, it was difficult the dream clung to him tried to drag him back down. It took a full ten seconds before reality reasserted itself and Will could focus on Eowyn’s face. “There you are, Will. What was that”<br/>“Just a nightmare”<br/>“Bullshit. You are still shaking” her hands slipped down his neck and gripped his still quivering shoulders. “it’s okay, I’ve got you.”<br/>“I’m fi-” he snapped his mouth shut on the automatic reply, what was wrong with him?<br/>“Shield’s down Commander.” an order of sorts, firmly whispered in his ear. “it’s alright.” Will hesitated.<br/>“You don’t want to know”<br/>“try me.”<br/>“When I was a kid i used to pretend my Mom was still alive. I even convinced myself for a while” Will admitted, his throat tightened. “one day when I was nearly six, my dad and my teacher got together to tell me she really was dead and wasn’t coming back.” The remembered disbelief, the anger of that moment washed over him. How dare they tell him that! “On the way home I ran away from my Dad, screamed at him. I ran across this frozen river-” he stopped seeing horrified comprehension dawn on Eowyn’s face.<br/>“You fell in.” she said softly.<br/>“yeah the ice cracked, I couldn’t swim.”<br/>“and then”<br/>“My Dad dragged me out, I don’t remember that. I woke up in hospital on my own.”<br/>“On your own?” Eowyn echoed his words slowly as if she didn’t quite want the answer.<br/>“He left me alone to cry all night, my dad left me alone.” even saying the words, voicing them brought a wave of shame, “I shouldn’t have cried.” <br/>“Will you were five years old, they should not have done that to you. You understand that right?”  Will brushed a braid back from her earnestly wrinkled forehead. How could he explain that he knew she was right ? And yet he still had trouble believing it. Deanna was the only other person he had trusted with the entirety of that painful memory and Eowyn was echoing her words. He sighed, running his fingertips along her shoulder. <br/>“it was a long time ago.”<br/>“Do you have that dream a lot?”<br/>“Depends. You know, I’ve been close to death more than a few times. But that’s the only one I dream about.”<br/>“How the fuck did you make it through the academy psych evaluation” Eowyn smiled down at him laughter dancing in her eyes. Will suddenly became minutely aware of where every centimetre of his skin touched hers. <br/>“you have a deep seated fear of the weather and crippling commitment issues.” Clenching his teeth, Will shifted sideways; fruitlessly trying to find a less incendiary position in the confines of the sleeping bag. Eowyn knew what he was doing, he could tell from the small private grin that flashed across her lips. <br/>“Touché. If I ever meet your Dad, I am going to punch him in the face.” Reaching down she pushed his fringe from his eyes then tugged his beard playfully. “you are getting scruffy”<br/>“and you are still beautiful.” Without thinking he swept his fingertips up her spine, Eowyn shivered deliciously against his chest. “We should get up, now” Will muttered aware his voice squeaked a little.<br/>“I suppose we should.”Will bit his lip, Eowyn fiddled with his chest hair, the wistful smile sending more unwelcome blood exactly where he didn’t need it.<br/>“Right now lieutenant.”<br/>“Alright Commander” she snorted almost smiling and patting his chest ruefully.  “Close your eyes.”  <br/>“Really?”it was faintly absurd request, considering they had spent the night naked, squashed together and wrapped in each others arms like a human burrito. <br/>“I still have some self respect left, shut them” She gave him a stern look and stroked her warm naked thigh down his leg, “Close your eyes or I’ll keep moving.” <br/>“Uh I hate you.” Will groaned, he almost meant it. Even so he couldn’t help raising an amused eyebrow, couldn’t stop the grin that forced it self on his lips. Cupping her jaw with both hands he dragged their faces together. Kissed her once with all of his desperate built up wanting, Eowyn responded by pulling his hands from her face and pinning them above his head. Her tongue curled around his, muscles relaxing, vulcan heartbeat thrumming against his ribs. He took a breath and let his head drop back to the ground with a thump.<br/>“What was that?” <br/>“Payback.” Will snorted and closed his eyes. “Out you get” <br/>“Bastard” she swore, almost fondly. Will squeezed his eyes shut as she scrambled awkwardly out of the bag. Wincing as her knee grazed the sore skin of his side. She was moving around the fire muttering to herself, she groaned loudly.“My shirts still damp.”<br/>“my spare is in the pack” Giving in to temptation and feeling like some kind of voyeur, Will cracked his eyes open and peered up at the lovely line of her spine. “take it.”<br/>“Thanks”<br/>“How are you feeling this morning? I’ll admit, you had me worried.” He had been, horribly worried.  The chill of her skin against his had frightened him to his core. Risking discovery he opened his eyes a little wider. There she stood, silhouetted in the light streaming from the broken doorway. She shook out his spare shirt then went very still. Blood rushed to Will’s face, as he realised he had been caught. Smirking and with obvious deliberate slowness, Eowyn pulled his shirt over her head, then picked up her pants.<br/>“I guess I should have told you about the cold thing?” she said as if nothing had happened. Will dropped his gaze to the dirt floor, made himself focus on a particular white pebble. It must have washed in from somewhere, he picked it up and twiddled it between his fingers.<br/>“It would have been nice to be prepared. Tell me next time? Before you nearly freeze to death.”<br/>“Is that an order?”<br/>“No it’s a request, please?” <br/>“Are you getting up?”Eowyn snorted. Will crushed a spurt of annoyance as she avoided answering.<br/>“Are you going to close your eyes?”<br/>“No” Eowyn folded her arms and tapped her foot.<br/>“Payback?” he asked, Eowyn nodded and flapped an impatient hand at him. “Fine” kicking off the sleeping bag, Will stood up stood up holding his hands wide. “Only fair, I suppose.” Eowyn looked him up and down, Will saw the smirk she tried to hide behind mock annoyance. He fished his pants from the floor pulling them on mimicking that same exaggerated slowness. “Happy now?”<br/>“I think we are even.” Eowyn muttered. Will tied the still damp shirt around his waist, and started to pack up their equipment.<br/>“What food have we got?”<br/>“there’s some of that fruit I found yesterday, the stuff that tastes like soap. Or a peach cobbler ration pack” she waved it temptingly. <br/>“I’ll take the fruit.”<br/>“Will take the ration pack, you need to eat properly.”<br/>“and you don’t?”<br/>“I don’t have a major injury”<br/>“Still-” <br/>“Starving yourself is not help-” she stopped talking and stared into the darkness over his shoulder. Will narrowed his eyes, she was doing that a lot. Those eyes would go oddly vacant for a moment as if she was somewhere else entirely. After a second she blinked and focused on him again.<br/>“What’s wrong”<br/>“Nothing.” Defensive and lying to him, Will stared at her trying to decide whether to call out her hypocrisy or not. He decided not, at least not right now. He remembered the night before, talking softly, chafing her cold skin back into life. The way she had pillowed her head against his chest just needing him to just be there, spoke to his battered heart. She needed him; the realisation felt oddly vulnerable, raw. This wasn’t just about survival, he wanted her trust, craved it.   <br/>“fine give it here.” He gave in with bad grace, and took the foil packet. “I’ll eat as we walk.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t the suffocating quiet of the ruins that got to Eowyn, it was Will’s silence. The ancient corridor was cold, damp in places the roof had collapsed, meaning they had to squirm under fallen rubble. All she could hear in the dark was his breath rasping in his throat, he sounded on the edge of panic. “are you alright?” She finally demanded as she brushed mud from her arms. <br/>“How much longer is this tunnel?” Will whispered, something about the darkness mandated a hushed tone.  <br/>“Tricorder says about another 300 metres”<br/>“well that’s just great. Ask me something.”  The tone of his voice was horribly brittle parody of it’s usual assured confidence. Alarmed, Eowyn stole a glance at his shadowy form. Shoulders hunched, he plodded along doggedly head down.<br/>“Something wrong?” <br/>“I don’t much like enclosed spaces.”<br/>“You think maybe you chose the wrong career? doesn’t get more enclosed than a starship.”<br/>“It’s hard to explain.” His hand found hers squeezed her fingers, seeking reassurance. It was a gentle gesture that smote at her heart. A few days ago he wouldn’t have reached out for her like that and she would not have let him. “Is there anything you want to tell me?” Will asked suddenly. Eowyn considered telling him about the disembodied whispers and the strange cold numbing grief that came along with them. Feeling guilty she shook her head.<br/>“No, I’m just tired, hungry and sick of this rock. I promise” Eowyn wasn’t sure Will believed her, she saw his lips twitch.<br/>“Me too, so ask me something. Distract me.”  <br/>“your Mom what was she like?” <br/>“I told you I don’t remember her,”- he chewed his lip and looked away,  “Actually that’s not strictly true.”<br/>“What do you mean?”<br/>“Sometimes I get these flashes, I’ll hear a song or smell something and I can almost see her. Just for a second, but I can never hold on to her. Her face slips away.” he shrugged.<br/>“I’m sorry.”<br/>“What about your Mom, where is she?” Will asked softly as the torch picked out the end of the corridor. the darkness ended in a pair of grey arched doors. “Looks like we have reached the end of the line.” Eowyn snapped the tricorder open and scanned them. <br/>“Jupiter station, she’s a cyberneticist. What’s that on the wall” Eowyn pointed her torch beam, suddenly she didn’t want to talk about her mother. For a moment she wondered if her Mom knew what had happened. Maybe she be she already thought her wayward daughter dead, the notion constricted her throat.<br/>“Looks like an access hatch for the door mechanism. I’ll take a look.” Will knelt in the mud he grabbed the hatches grill and yanked, the degraded hinges came away easily enough. “When was the last time you saw your Mom.” Will asked, clearly he wasn’t going to let it go. <br/>“It’s been awhile, several years actually.”<br/>“That must be difficult”<br/>“not really, she was disappointed in my career choice, all of my family are scientists, doctors, academics. I’m the only one in starfleet.”<br/>“What about your father?” <br/>“He is on Betazed and also quite disappointed.”<br/>“I’m sensing a theme. There is a manual release here.” Will reached into the dark hole and pulled some hidden lever. A loud clunk and the doors started to judder open. Will winked at her and stood up. “That is quite the long distant relationship your parents have”<br/>“Yeah well when I was a kid I counted myself lucky if both of them were on the same planet. I don’t remember more than half a dozen times we were altogether.” The ancient doors stopped moving with a very final sounding crunch. <br/>This new void was a round chamber about 10 metres in diameter, with the same arched ceiling as the corridor. Eowyn shone her torch round the walls, a gleam in the dark caught her eye and she stepped closer to examine it. A series of swirling symbols had been etched into the wall.“This design is Vulcan.” Reaching out she traced the elegant curve with a fingertip. <br/>“An outpost of some kind?” Will joined her, shining his own torch at the spirals.  <br/>“Colony maybe. When the Vulcan’s rediscovered warp a lot of ships left. Some of them didn’t come back.”<br/>“I didn’t know that.”<br/>“No reason you would, my Vulcan grandmother is a historian. She would love this.”<br/>“You can tell her about it when we get back. Lets take a look around, see if something in here is generating that field” Will shone his torch around the room.<br/>Eowyn followed suit exploring the opposite side, pacing the wall, eyes peeled for anything useful. She stopped abruptly as her calf brushed against something that rustled in the darkness. She shone her torch at the ground-<br/>“Will come here”<br/>“Just a second, this seems to be some kind of data storage, I might be able to restore it’s power.” Eowyn cast a glance over her shoulder, Will was fiddling with a bank of screens on the opposite wall.<br/>“Will please.”<br/>“What is it?” She heard the scuff of his boots against the ground and heard his intake of breath as he realised what he was looking at. Shadowy, skeletal forms huddled together against the curved wall of the room. Their shapes held together by tatters of clothing and dried mummified skin.<br/>“Poor bastards.” Will muttered, he passed his torch over the pitiable remains. Eowyn curled her fingers around his wrist, needing the warmth of another living being. She couldn’t shake the feeling that those empty eye sockets were watching her. <br/>“What do you think killed them?” Will asked softly, Eowyn only half heard him. She ran the tricorder over the bones, the whispers were back louder than before. She could almost make out individual voices. Grief crawled up her spine, cold curling in her belly serpent like. Eowyn realised she had been silent too long. Will was staring at her. <br/>“I’m okay” she reassured him. “Looks like radiation exposure, a really high dose of gamma rays probably.”<br/>“Gamma rays?”<br/>“Yeah”<br/>“So the star is unstable.”<br/>“Maybe” Eowyn shrugged, it was the only real answer. She could tell Will knew that.<br/>“Shit, that’s just great, just great. Come on, come away.” he took her by the hand and lead her back to the console. Will dropped to his knees and began to poke around with greater urgency “Can I have the tricorder?” Eowyn handed it too him.<br/>“Will the star is the least of our worries right now” she reminded him, wanting to reassure him. Will didn’t answer he lifted a circuit board from the console and played with it for a moment. The screen came alive, writing scrolling done the screen. <br/>“It’s Vulcan” Eowyn leaned staring at it.<br/>“Can you read it?”<br/>“Will, I can speak modern Vulcan, this is like trying to read Chaucer in Klingon.”<br/>“You told me you read Chaucer in Klingon. remember” he took the tricorder from her, “So try, the tricorder is going to take ages to translate it.”<br/>“okay.” She growled. <br/>“So what happened here, any clues.” Will asked badly hidden impatience bleeding into his words. Eowyn couldn’t blame him, it still felt like she was being observed.<br/>“Pieced some of it together, the translation isn’t exactly great”<br/>“you going to tell? Or should I guess.”<br/>“Right”  the over whelming sadness closed her throat she coughed to cover her distress and straightened her shoulders. “These people were colonists, looks like part of the first wave. It would have taken them decades to get here.”<br/>“Why?”<br/>“These early ships could only do warp one.” Eowyn scrolled back through the text, trying to make sense of it. <br/>“So how did everybody die?”<br/>“Yeah um,” she shook herself and tried to focus, invading ice in her blood again. “They couldn’t get away, they had already cannibalised their ships to build the colony.” Eowyn paused her throat thick with someone else’s grief.“the radiation started killing people in days then hours. That’s when they realised the star was unstable”<br/> “So we were right about the star.” Will stooped down and peered at her face, a frown wrinkling his forehead.<br/>“They were trapped.” Eowyn, could feel it, blind panic. <br/> “If the gamma rays were strong enough, no amount of shielding would have saved them” Will whispered sensing her distress, he gripped her shoulder.<br/>“Some how that doesn’t help, they would have known they were going to die.”<br/>“Why are you crying?”<br/>“I don’t know”<br/>“Lower those shields lieutenant” Will whispered, “You have been different since we got here” He took both her hands and held her still.<br/>“What do you mean?”<br/>“Well you haven’t told me to shut up once today, you haven’t smiled at all for the last two hours and now-” he wiped a tear from her cheek  “you are crying.”<br/>“I didn’t realise you were taking notes.”<br/>“Eowyn, what’s wrong tell me?” the pleading note in his voice was too loud to ignore, his concern burrowed through some wall she had been holding on to.  <br/>“I keep getting overwhelmed, by these feelings. All this grief and pain. I think it’s coming from them” she pointed to the bones.<br/>“Who?”<br/>“Them” she nodded towards the huddled husks.<br/>“Eowyn, you said it yourself, these people have been dead for at least half a millennium,” Will looked at the bodies for a moment. “I’m not sure how that is possible” Will’s the apparent disbelief irritated her. <br/>“I know that!” Her voice cracked, hands covered her face. “What is this? Will I can almost hear them.”<br/>“Alright, shush it’s okay.” He folded her firmly against his chest. “We should head back to the entrance. I don’t like this”<br/>“what about the dampening field?” The cold was invading her bones again, coldness and darkness, trapped in ice.  <br/>“I’ll leave the tricorder running the analysis, we can come back tomorrow.” Will shook her startling her back to reality, he was scrutinising her face anxiously. “Where did you go then?”<br/>“I’m not sure.” Not a lie this time, she could tell her answer scared him as much as it did her.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Maelstrom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this is just sex, sexy sex with as little plot as i could muster. it's angsty.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was raining again. Thick clouds hid the setting sun and turned the woods to grainy shadows. Eowyn leaned against the broken door and watched the large slow drops as they exploded against the ground. Behind her Will was building a fire, the logs clattering loudly as he dropped them onto the ground. What was this weird feeling curling through her mind? the rain drummed a discordant tune in her head. Everything seemed to be screaming at her, the whisper of the wind in the trees echoed razor sharp. Will’s breathing rumbled like thunder, a drop of cold rain rolled down the hot skin of her forearm. The rain intensified, becoming an almost unbearable buzz of white noise making her skin shiver. Loneliness swept over her, intense throat closing loneliness making her body ache. A soft fizz from the phaser and the scent of smoke filled the damp air, accompanied by an annoyed grunt from Will.<br/>“Fuck it! That’s the phaser out of juice” Will muttered. His voice startled her, why was everything so damned loud? She sat down by the fire without looking at him.<br/>“you don’t have to shout” Tiredly, Eowyn massaged her temples a headache nibbled at her synapses. “Will I told you we should have brought both power packs.”<br/>“i didn’t shou-” Will snapped his mouth closed, grinned wryly. “feeling any better?” Sarcasm infecting his mild tone.<br/>“Yeah, maybe” A lie, Eowyn shivered. Will just looked at her for a moment and said nothing, he threw another armful of wood on to the fire. Eowyn caught herself staring at the play of his chest muscles as he neatly stacked the rest of their meagre supply of firewood.  Wrenching her eyes away trying to crush the sudden heat racing up her spine.<br/>“Can you still hear them?”<br/>“Not right now” Eowyn hugged her knees. She was starting to realise that not all the whispers in her head were unfamiliar. Will was there too, he hovered close. His deepening concern prickled at her mind, she hated that. <br/>“So what is it then? You are being uncharacteristically quiet.”<br/>“Nothing, just a headache.”<br/>“yeah right” This time he didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm.<br/>“Will can you not-”<br/>“We had a deal, ask a question get an answer.”she could feel his eyes on her, feel his irritation and the disappointment that trust was still not a given between them. “So what is wrong.”<br/>“I can feel you” she admitted reluctantly touching her forehead. She felt off balance, out of kilter with the world, she needed an an anchor. Her body was screaming at her in a language she didn’t quite want to understand. <br/>“What do you mean?”<br/>“In my head,  Will. I can feel you in my head.”<br/>“I thought you had the telepathic ability of a rock?” he dropped down next to her,  too close. His fingers gripped her knee, the touch sent a wave of blood racing through her body. Grabbing his face she smashed her mouth against his.“Hey!” Will yelped and pulled away, his eyes round with shock “What the hell!”. Blood smeared his bottom lip, he touched it gingerly staring at his fingers. Eowyn scuttled back wards, guilt making her feel sick.<br/>“I didn’t mean to do that.”<br/>“Eowyn it’s okay” he held out his hand, “It’s alright. Just take a breath.”<br/>“I’m sorry”<br/>“I’m fine.” Will inched closer, his hand closed on her shoulder. “please, if you can feel me, you know its true.” <br/> “This isn’t supposed to happen” Fear curled in her belly as realisation dawned, part of her still wanted to deny what was happening.<br/>“what? What are you talking about?” his confusion coloured her mind, his fear sending her heart racing in sympathy. Wanting to get away before she hurt him again she shook off his hand and stood up. “Eowyn I don’t understand.”<br/>“neither do I, just stay away” Eowyn lurched away, something caught her foot and catapulted her into the dirt. Unable to think straight, every sense mercilessly sharpened she just lay there letting out a scream of utter frustration. <br/>“Eowyn what the hell is this” Will dropped to his knees beside her and dragged her against his chest. The feel of his skin under her fingertips just made her feel worse and she shoved, tried to push him away. Will just held her more tightly. His heart raced in her ear communicating his badly hidden panic.<br/>“Will I need to breath” She wriggled in his arms. Will relaxed his grip and Eowyn found herself looking up into those stupidly blue eyes, she drew him closer. Close enough, so she could see the different hues, like sunlight on water; An ocean she would willingly drown in. <br/>“I think it’s Pon’farr” she mumbled, embarrassment temporarily cutting through the fog in her brain. <br/>“Oh.”Will looked away, a dark chuckle rumbled his chest. “That’s not good.”<br/>“You know what that means?”<br/>“Yeah” His breath teased her ear. “um is this the first time?” his voice trailed off.<br/>“Yes and I’d rather not die raving.”She ran her fingers through his hair, gripped his neck making him look at her again.<br/>“So you want to fight?” Will asked, a grin lurking twitching at the corners of his mouth. Still trying to make her smile.<br/>“We both know I could kill you.”<br/>“Eowyn, we decided not to do this” The reminder was unwelcome and infuriating, she resisted the urge to bite him-again. <br/>“i don’t think we have a choice” Eowyn ground her teeth, her body screaming at her, mind a foggy confusion of primal drives.  Will’s response was to cup her chin with unbearable tenderness and brush his lips across her forehead.<br/>“Will, please. Don’t make me beg” She wanted to fight him and fuck him; to scratch her nails down his back. <br/>“Do you really want to do this?” Stupid question, stupidest question ever. Will blinked at her, she could see the reticence in his eyes, felt it in the stiff way he embraced her.<br/>“let me show you how much” The idea came out of nowhere, some half recognised instinct kicked in and her fingers stretched to find the pressure points on his skull. <br/>“okay” smiling, Will pressed his forehead against hers.<br/>“i want you” she found him easily enough, the other voices were drowned out by the beat in her blood. He was right there less than a thought away, “Will”. She liked saying his name, liked the way it felt on her tongue.  As their thoughts touched Will flinched and Eowyn felt him almost pull away. He was holding himself separate, but did not break contact. <br/>“Are you absolutely sure?” Will murmured in her ear. His voice was rougher deeper triggering a pleasurably ache in her hips. Lightening curled up her spine, spread out to every inch of her skin. Her perceptions narrowed, there was only Will, his skin salty against her exploring tongue. Tracing his collar bone she worked her way up his neck, curled her tongue around the softness of an earlobe. Each soft moan she drew from Will’s mouth increased the tension in her belly. Gently this time, Eowyn sought his lips, <br/>“are you?” Growling the challenge into his mouth, just earned her a dirty grin. Encouraged and wanting the heat of his body, her fingers found the ragged hem of his shirt. She dragged it over his head and wrapped her shivering body around his torso. <br/>“you are freezing again.”<br/>“Then warm me up, Commander.” <br/>“Well when you ask like that, how can I say no.” The grin widened into that supernova smile. Eowyn’s memory flashed back to the moment she had boarded the Miranda and Will greeting her with that same smile. “But not in the mud, come on up you get” Awkwardly they rose together. She clung to Will’s shoulders, loathe to let go of him even for a second. Shedding clothes, they stumbled a couple of steps and collapsed, naked onto the unrolled sleeping bags next to the fire.<br/>“Come here.” Eowyn hissed, they wrestled, lip to lip. She drowned herself in the feel of his body, the way the muscles moved under her fingers. Eowyn ended up on top, grabbing Will’s wrists, she pinned them above his head. That earned her a raised eye brow “Now you’re starting to scare me.” <br/>“liar” Leaning down she kissed him, losing her self in the warm wetness of his mouth. His tongue touched hers, lightening rolled down her spine. Escaping from her grasp, his hands glided down her spine to grip her buttocks. Eowyn rolled her hips against him, the ache was unbearable her hip muscles quivered. An empty spot, a void was growing in her mind, echoing the tension in her belly.<br/>Will flicked his hip and rolled over, Eowyn found herself flat on her back. “i want you”<br/>“Shush, slow down, just breath.” Fingertips stroked along her jaw. <br/>“Will. Baby.”<br/>“Baby? That’s new”  Laughing he sat up and traced her spots, hands skimming over her breasts. “So they do go all the way down.”<br/>“Are you going to critique my terms of endearment or fuck me.”<br/>“Do you trust me?” Running his tongue along his bottom lip, he peered down at her eyes sparking with devilish, lascivious delight.  <br/>“You know I do.” <br/>“Good” his hand flexed on teasingly on her mound. Eowyn was the opposite of cold now, her skin burning hotter with every touch, pulse pounding in her ears. It had never been like this, never this desperate beyond thought, a visceral need to be filled.  “I’ve got you sweetheart”<br/>“Sweetheart?”<br/>“Shush.” A last grin and his face dipped down between her shivering hips.  <br/>“Fuck” back arching Eowyn thrust her hips towards his teasing tongue, he pushed her legs further apart and lapping greedily at her clit. Looking down she could see Will, his eyes screwed shut face a mask of ecstasy as he sucked and licked. A finger caressed her wet folds, before slipping in side. She ground down against his mouth, against the finger, her body shaking. It wasn’t enough, ‘Will now’ not words just a single desperate thought. He raised his head as their thoughts touched. No reticence this time if anything he rushed towards her eagerly. For a dizzying second Eowyn almost forgot who she was. Will’s thoughts swamped her, his lust mingled with her own amplifying it. <br/>His slick cock pressed hard and hot against her clit.  Fire igniting in her veins as the thick length rubbed teasingly against her throbbing folds.  Will’s delight inflamed her need made her wriggle and push down on his dick. Will bit his lip and stared skywards for a long moment. Eowyn could sense him scrambling for control, chest heaving, breath huffing frantically. <br/>“let go” Self control was the last thing she desired, her own was completely shot. Coherent thought melted away. Locking her legs around Will’s hips she dragged him deep inside. The ache vanished, breaking like a wave. Only to be  replaced by a thrumming tension, that grew more intense as Will tentatively began to move. She countered his thrusts hips rising to meet him, body jerking to an ancient rhythm. Shivering, shaking, full to the brim, never wanting it to stop, she raked her nails down his quivering spine. He was still holding back, waiting. Eowyn grasped the labouring buttocks  slapped a naked cheek. Will jerked. Instinctively she shifted her hips so his cock massaged that spot; the one that made every nerve sing. <br/>“Eowyn” Her name muttered into her braids or at least, a mangled shredded version of it. The pulse that had been driving her, strengthened. Will’s thoughts echoed the need back to her. Hearts racing  Grabbing at each others sweat slicked bodies, driving each other on. Nothing mattered, the universe shrunk down to the circle of firelight and thrum of the rain against the ground. Eowyn came again, a wave bigger than all the others washed over her, it caught Will too and dragged him along. “look at me” Will pleaded, his hands cupping her face. Time froze, as their eyes met and then shattered as the lightening took them. Coming together, his cum a hot wet pulse, mingling with her own wetness. Prompting one last ripple of sweet hot fire, that faded into shivery softness.<br/>The moment after they came, in the warm vacant afterglow the last of the mental barriers dissolved. Eowyn gripped him tight as his soul spilled, knowing her own walls had crumbled, knowing he could see all of her.  “I’ve got you” Will whispered, he dragged the sleeping bag over their nakedness and snagged her waist curling himself around her protectively. “You’re not alone” Eowyn hugged his arms against her chest.<br/>“Neither are you.” She snuggled her back more solidly against his chest. Will’s thoughts were a contented whisper at the edges of her mind. She grabbed on to the silver thread that held them together, anchoring herself. Blocking out those cold persistent voices that called to her in the darkness. <br/>“I know.” Will breathed in her ear. His voice drowsy, Eowyn let the warmth of his thoughts lull her. Sleep beckoned, for once she let it take her without a fight. Telling herself she was imagining that other thread in Will’s mind. Old frayed, stretched to almost nothing, nonetheless an insistent ragged whisper;<br/>‘imzadi come home.’</p>
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